Changes
by Twistedsyns
Summary: After a night neither one of them remembers and consequences neither is prepared for, The Doctor and Rose try to make a life together, but will it be enough as the universe tries to separate them.
1. Beginnings

The Doctor was drunk, Rose decided, as she watched him marching around the Tardis, singing 500 miles, the bottle of wine waving dangerously in his hand. They had continued their Christmas celebration aboard the the Tardis after telling her mom goodnight. "Come on Rose," he grabbed her hand and took another drink. "I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more." He marched her into the kitchen and took down another bottle of wine. "Drink," he said, handing it to her.

Rose woke the next morning, with a horrible hang over. She didn't remember much of the previous night. The last thing she did remember the Doctor was trying to scale the coral in the control room. She stood up and was surprised to see that she was naked. She hardly ever slept naked. Wondering, briefly, how drunk she had been, she headed to the shower.

Rose moaned and leaned against the wall in the bathroom. This was the fifth day in a row she had woken up sick. She splashed cool water on her face and then headed to the kitchen. The Doctor were all ready there. She put bread in the toaster. The Doctor looked up. "You okay, Rose?"

"Fine," She lied. She grabbed the toast and sat down. "So have you decided how you are going to get us into the school?"

"The Physics teacher won the lottery last night. So I am going to be the new Phyics teacher" He said happily. "And you're going to be a dinner lady."

"A dinner lady."

"Yeah. Get ready big day," He hurried out of the room. She watched him go and then headed back to the bathroom.

-DW-

"Rose, hurry up or were going to miss Elvis," She heard the Doctor call through her bedroom door.

Rose sighed. She looked down at the test in her hand. It was positive.

"I can't be pregnant," she said softly to herself. But even as she said it, she knew it wasn't true. She thought she might be pregnant, two months ago when they had investigated the school but then with Mickey deciding to travel with them and then falling into the Parallel world and seeing her dad again, she put it out of her mind. But now there was no denying that her pants were getting tighter and she felt butterflies in her stomach. The question is when it happened. The last time she remembered sleeping with somebody, was before she met the Doctor and that was at least a year and a half ago. Though on the Tardis it was hard to keep track.

"Rose, come on," She heard the Doctor yell again. She threw the test away.

She headed out to see him on a moped. "Are you going my way," he asked. "Is there any other way to go, Daddy-o." "You speak the lingo," He said happily. She decided the conversation could wait.

- DW -

She was exhausted. She had gone to Magpie's to investigate the telly's and than she was standing in a jail cell, surrounded by people and no idea how she had got there. Her and the Doctor were walking, the block party. They had been there for hours and her feet were killing her. "Doctor can we go back to the Tardis now." He led her back to the Tardis and opened the door. "I'm going to go lay down," she said. As she took a step away from him, she started to fall. "Rose," the Doctor said, grabbing her.

"Come on." he led her over to the pilot seat and helped her sit down. He pulled out the sonic screwdriver and scanned her. Looking at the results she saw his eyes go wide. "You're pregnant," He said surprised. "Rose, why are you pregnant?"

"You see Doctor, when a man and..."

"I know that." he said cutting her off. "What I meant to say is Congratulations and did Mickey know?"

"No," She replied. "I didn't know for sure until today."

"But, you're at least four almost five months along. How did you not know?" He asked sounding concenered.

"I thought I might be before the school, but then I decided I was crazy and then with everything that happened it was easier to ignore it, especially because, I don't know whose it is."

"What do you mean?"

"The last time I slept with someone, that I remember, was before I met you."

"Come on," he said softly and led her down to the medical bay. She laid down on the bed and lifted her shirt, as he pulled out a scanner. She watched him pressing buttons and then go pale.

"What is it," she asked.

"It has two hearts."


	2. Betrayal

Rose laid there stunned and watched the Doctor hitting more buttons on the scanner.

"He, has two hearts," The Doctor said again and then he became angry. "Don't know when this happened, aye. Little Rose Tyler took care of the sick Doctor after he regenerated and then took advantage of him."

"That's not what happened," Rose said startled.

"How do I know that? Your pregnant and I am the only one here with two hearts. Explain it." he spat. "And if your innocent, how come you didn't tell me. Instead you hid it."

"I don't remember what happened. Honestly." she said close to tears. He turned away from her and stormed out of the room, calling behind him. "I'm taking you home, like I should have done in the beginning."

Rose laid there stunned. Slowly she stood up. She was going to have a son and the Doctor hated her. She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact he was the father yet. She thought back over the last year and a half. There were a few times her memory had gaps, but the one that she kept coming back to was the night after he regenerated and they had shared the wine.

She didn't know how, but she made it back to her room. She looked at the familar place and began to cry. She didn't want to leave it. she lay down on her side and curled herself around a pillow and cried.

- DW-

The Doctor was in the control room. He wanted to take her home and leave her there, but he believed Rose when she said she didn't remember. The problem was neither did he and he hated not knowing. He ran his hands down his face, he felt horrible for implying she had taken advantage of him, but it was the only time, this could have happened. He paced around hitting buttons and pulling lever, it didn't make him feel better. He kicked the Tardis. Now he still felt bad and his foot hurt.

He sat down in the pilot chair and started to rub his foot. He stood up and headed back to the Medical bay. He was happy to see that she had left. He picked up the scanner and read the results again. He was going to have a son and the baby was developing at a normal rate for a human. The only thing that betrayed the fact it wasn't, were the two hearts. He set the scanner down, he couldn't put it off any longer. He would have to go talk to her.

The walk to her room, seemed to take longer than before. He gently knocked.

"Come in." he heard her reply.

Walking in, he glanced at her briefly, before sitting in the chair and turning away. Her hair was a mess and her makeup was streaked down her cheeks. He couldn't stand to look at her and know that he had caused the pain, but he was still angry enough that he didn't want to comfort her. "I'm sorry." he said at last.

"As well you should be." Rose replied

"Don't give me that. You're just as guilty as I am in this."

"Sure of that are you." She snipped. "How do I know, you didn't take advantage of me?"

"I shouldn't have accused you of that," he apologized, still not able to look her in the eye.

Rose took a deep breath. "I don't want to go home." She said finally.

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Fine," he left the room and heard something hit the door after him. Followed by a scream from Rose.

-DW-

Things had been tense between the two of them. He avoided touching her and she avoided him all together. He decided to land the Tardis somewhere random and give them a chance to breath. The Tardis landed and they exited. The Doctor put his hand on the Tardis "I don't know what's wrong though. She's sort of queasy. Indigestion, like she didn't want to land."

"Oh, if you think there's going to be trouble, we could always get back inside and go somewhere else."

He looked at the hand on her stomach concenered. She noticed his eyes, and continued, "We'll leave if it gets to bad."

-DW-

He was being lowered into the pit slowly. He knew Rose was waiting for him back up on the space station but since he couldn't get back up to her, he decided his best chance was to go down and find out what was in the pit. He had heard the Devil's words and heard him tell her that she would die in battle and he wanted to face it.

"You get representations of the Horned Beast right across the universe, in the myths and legends of a million worlds. Earth, Draconia, Velconsadine, Daemos. The carving on the wall. It's the same image, over and over again. Maybe that idea came from somewhere, bleeding through. The thought at the back of every sentient mind." He told Ida.

"Emanating from here?" Ida asked.

"Could be"

"But if this is the original, does that make it real? Does that make it the actual devil, though.

He felt the cable stop.

"That's it," Ida said. "That's all we've got. You getting any sort of readout?"

"Nothing, could be miles to go, yet. Or could be thirty feet. No way of telling." he thought for a moment. "I could survive thirty feet.

He feels himself start to be raised back up and stops it.

"What are you doing," Ida asked.

"I've got to go down, call it an act of faith."

"I don't want to die on my own."

He started to undo the cables holding him. He didn't answer her. He didn't want to die either and leave Rose and his unborn child, but he didn't see going back up as an opition.

"If they get back in touch, if you talk to Rose, just tell her. Tell her. Oh, she knows."  
He finished unhooking the cables and fell into the blackness.


	3. Krop Tor

He stood in front of the Devil. Rock in his hand ready to smash the vases. " If I destroy this planet, I destroy the gravity field. The rocket. The rocket loses protection and falls into the black hole. I have to sacrifice Rose and my son." He dropped the Rock. "So, that's the trap. Or the test, or the final judgment, I don't know. But if I kill you, I kill her. Except that implies in this big grand scheme of Gods and Devils that she's just a victim. But I've seen a lot of this universe. I've seen fake gods and bad gods and demi-gods and would-be gods, and out of all that, out of that whole pantheon, if I believe in one thing, just one thing, I believe in her."

Picking back up the rock, he smashed the Urn. "This is your freedom. Free to die. You're going into that black hole and I'm riding with you." He ran over and smashed the second urn. He stood there watching the Devil writhe in pain on fire. The edge of the pit was giving way. He turned and headed back away from it. The Earth shook and he felt himself flying into the side of the pit. Realizing he hit wood he looks back and sees that he has landed against the Tardis. He happily went in.

He materilized around Ida, and removed her helmet to give her a chance to breath. Quickly checking to make sure he was still alive, he ran to the controls and materialized in front of the Rocket. Working quickly he hijacked the contols and began to turn the ship away from the blackhole.

"Sorry about the hijack, Captain. This is the good ship Tardis. Now first thing's first, Have you got a Rose Tyler on Board."

"I'm here, it's me! Oh, my God. Where are you?

"I'm just towing you home. Gravity schmavity. My people practically invented black holes. Well, in fact, they did. In a couple of minutes, we'll be nice and safe. Oh, and Captain? Can we do a swap? Say, if you give me Rose Tyler, I'll give you Ida Scott? How about that?"

"She's alive," he heard the Captain reply.

"Yeah! Bit of oxygen stravation, but she should be all right."

"Ah! Entering clear space. End of the line. Mission closed." he released the rocket and then landed it in the hold of the Rocket. He had never been more realeved to see Rose enter the Tardis. He grabbed her and hugged her tightly. They said, goodbye to the crew and headed on their way.

"I thought I had lost you." The Doctor said holding her tightly. "And it made me realize how much I wanted you and the baby."

Rose smiled and leaned her head against him and that is when the pain hit her. She cried out and doubled over. "Doctor something is wrong with the baby."

He rushed her down to the medibay. Scanning her quickly. "Rose you're in labor.

"That can't be. I am only 7 months along. It's too early. Is that normal for a Timelord."

He turned pale, he didn't want to worry her further but he didn't want to lie to her.

Seeing his hesitation Rose said, "Tell me Doctor."

"Timelord gestation was about one earth year. Now Rose, I need you to breath and relax. I am going to take you to the best hospital in the universe."

He ran back up to the controls and started hitting buttons. He pushed the Tardis to go as fast as it could and landed it roughly. He ran back to the medical bay and scooped Rose up gently. He rushed to the doors as fast as he dared and threw them open.

"She's in labor," he told the first Medical staff he came across. They called a nurse over with a cot and he laid Rose on it. "Doctor" She called out as they rushed her off. He followed answering their questions until they got to a set of doors. "Wait here," a nurse told him, as Rose disappeared inside.


	4. Goodbye

He paced the whole room, he had been pacing for over an hour now. He was growing more impatient by the minute.

Finally, a doctor came out and the Doctor rushed him. "How's Rose and the Baby." he asked.

"We couldn't stop the labor. Rose is resting and we have taken your son to neonatal for test."

The Doctor fell into the chair behind him hard. "Can I see them," his voice cracked.

"Come with me." he heard him say. He stood up and started to follow him.

For the second time that day, he felt relief to see Rose. He rushed over to her. "Doctor," She said frantically. "They took, our son. They won't tell me anything."

"They are running test. They will tell us when they know more." he said as calmly as he could. Only his eyes betraying the fear he felt.

He sat on the side of the bed and held Rose as she cried. After what seemed like hours, the Doctor returned.

"Miss Tyler, Doctor. Your son is in bad shape. He is only two and a half pounds and 16 inches. His hearts and brain are devolped. He is having trouble breathing so were helping him."

"Can we see him," Rose asked.

"Of course."

The Doctor helped Rose settle into the wheel chair and then followed the doctor to their son. It broke the Doctor's hearts to see him hooked up to the resperator, so tiny. But he was so alive. He put his hand on Rose's shoulder and she grabbed his hand.

"It would help if you gave him a name," the doctor said.

"I hadn't decided on one." He heard Rose say. "I thought we had more time."

"How about Kiam Wyatt," The Doctor spoke up. "It means Ancient Guide."

"Kiam Wyatt Tyler," Rose said. "I like it."

The next few day's ran together. The day's were spent in the hospital with their son and night's were spent aboard the Tardis in Rose's room. She laid on the bed and cried herself to sleep each night, while the Doctor held her and waited for the morning. They had laid aside their anger at each other for the moment. He blamed himself for taking her to Krop Tor in the first place. So at night they comforted each other in silence.

Kiam grew stronger and the resperator was removed. He was now about four pounds and the doctors informed them, that once he gained a little more weight, he would be allowed to go home. When visiting hours ended that night, they headed back to the Tardis.

"We should go see your mom and let her know the good news." The Doctor said.

"I can't leave him here," Rose replied.

"It's a time Machine. We can pop there and back before they know we are gone." The Doctor replied. "Come on, it'll be good to stretch her legs and your mom is dying for pictures."

"Promise, it will only be five minutes."

"Cross my hearts."

-DW-

He put his hands on the wall and leaned his head against it. He could almost feel her on the other side. He had promised Rose that they would only leave their son for five minutes. Five minutes wasn't really that long, but after one wrong stop where they helped a young girl named Chloe. They made it to her mom's house. He didn't want to get involved but he had to find out what the ghost were. Than there was the Cybermen and the Daleks and he had no choice but to close the breach. He watched in horror as she flew towards the void and was releaved to see Pete save her just in time. But the relief vanished just as quickly when they disappeared again and the breach had closed forever.

He walked slowly back to the Tardis. Once aboard though he quickly got to work, looking for any other breach he might be able to pull Rose through, But the only gap he found was a tiny one. Not big enough to grab her, but big enough he might be able to say goodbye. He projected himself on to the beach in front of Rose.

"Where are you?"

"Inside the Tardis. There's one tiny little gap in the Universe left, just about to close, and it takes a lot of power to send this projection. I'm in orbit around a super nova. I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye."

"You look like a ghost."

"Hold on" He takes out his sonic screw driver and points it. Making the hologram more solid on her side.

"Can I"

"I'm still just an image. No touch."

"Can't you come through properly?"

"The whole thing would fracture. Two universes would collapse."

"So?"

"Where are we? Where did the gap come out?"

"We're in Norway."

"Norway. Right," The Doctor replied.

"About fifty miles out of Burgen. It's called 'Dårlig Ulv Stranden'."

"Dalek?"

"Dårlig. It's Norwegian for bad. This translates as Bad Wolf Bay. How long have we got?"

"About two minutes."

"How is our son?"

"He's getting so big and he's strong."

"You promised me it would only be five minutes."

"I'm so, so sorry,"

"Promise me that you will never leave him alone."

"He will know all about you," The doctor replied. Avoiding answering her.

"Thank you," She started to cry again.

"What will you do"

"I'm back working in the shop,"

"Good for you." The Doctor replied with a small grin.

"Shut up. No, I'm not. There's still a Torchwood on this planet. It's open for business. I think I know a thing or two about aliens."

"Rose Tyler, Defender of the Earth. You're dead, officially, back home. So many people died that day and you've gone missing. You're on a list of the dead. Here you are, living a life day after day. The one adventure I can never have."

"Am I ever going to see you two again?"

"You can't."

"What're you going to do?"

"Oh, I've got the Tardis. Same old life, and Kiam needs to see the Universe.

"I, I love you."

"Quite right, too. And I suppose, if it's one last chance to say it, Rose Tyler"

He stood on the Tardis with tears running down his face.


	5. Martha

He stood aboard the Tardis. When suddenly there was someone else there and she was angry. She yelled at him and accused him of kidnapping her. But still she had saved him. He had drown the Racnoss children and then stood there watching. She had stopped him and together they ran up the stairs and watched the Racnoss ship being destroyed.

He dropped her off at her home and invited her to go with him. She declined but told him that he needed someone, he needed someone to stop him. Then she asked what her name was. "Rose, Her name was Rose." He didn't dare mention there son, still in the hospital on that far off planet. He didn't think he could stand to see the look on her face, knowing he didn't care about his life, when he had a sick child waiting for him.

He set the Tardis to head back to the hospital. Landing as he promised only five minutes from when he had left with Rose. He hadn't told her the whole truth when he had seen her. He hadn't been back to the hospital since she had been taken from him. Now all he wanted to do was see his son and apologize for losing his mother.

He sat in the Tardis, waiting impatiently for morning, the night had never seemed longer. But he had agreed with Rose, that while their son was in the hospital, time would pass normally. He tried fixing the Tardis, than he tried reading. When neither of those worked, he swam laps in the pool. He swam until his body ached and then settled himself on the bottom holding his breath.

He thought briefly about how easy it would be to take a breath. Closing his eyes he saw the Thames rushing over him. He heard the Racnoss screaming. He continued to hold his breath until his lungs screamed at him for air and his hearts beat hard against his chest. The closer he was to death, the more alive he felt recently and that scared him. Donna was right he needed someone to stop him. He pushed himself up to the surface. He held on to the side of the pool breathing hard. Than pulled himself over the side and laid there catching his breath.

-DW-

He had spent the day with his son. Holding him and feeding him and just enjoying the fact that he was alive. He kissed his head and apologized over and over again for losing Rose. He stared down at this little miracle that he didn't even know he had wanted but loved with every fiber of his being. They were the last two Timelords in the Universe and he was going to protect his son at all cost.

"I could stop." He said to him softly while he slept. "I would do that for you. We could settle down, and you could have a normal human childhood, with school and friends and ah, who am I kidding. I could never have a normal life. A fence and curtains and windows. That's just not me. I have been running for my whole life."

He gently places his hand on the babies back. "I could do right by you. I could." his voice caught in his throat. He tried again. "I could give you to a nice family, to raise your properly. You could have a mom and a dad. Never knowing, that I was watching over you from afar."

Visiting hours ended and he kissed his son goodnight and headed back to the Tardis. He couldn't stay here and wait for morning again. He set the controls of the Tardis to head back to London.

-DW-

He was becoming more reckless, he decided. It was a good thing that Martha had listened to him when he had said he had two hearts. He would have been dead otherwise, though he didn't really think that was such a bad thing at the moment. He shook his head. No, he wasn't done yet. He landed the Tardis in an alley way and walked to the edge. He watched Martha and her Family arguing until they all took off leaving only her. She noticed him. He turned and walked back to the Tardis.

"I went to the moon today." Martha said happily.

"A bit more peaceful than down here."

"You never even told me who you are."

"The Doctor."

"What sort of species? It's not every day I get to ask that." She asked curiously. Thinking it strange that it was a question she wouldn't have even thought of that very morning.

"I'm a Time Lord."

"Right! Not pompous at all, then."

"I just thought since you saved my life and I've got a brand new sonic screwdriver which needs road testing, you might fancy a trip."

"What, into space?"

"Well." The Doctor began.

"But I can't. I've got exams. I've got things to do. I have to go into town first thing and pay the rent, I've got my family going mad."

"If it helps, I can travel in time as well."

"Get out of here."

"I can."

"Come on now, that's going too far."

"I'll prove it."

He goes into the Tardis and it dematerialises. Then it rematerialises again and he comes out holding his tie in his hand.

"Told you."

"No, but, that was this morning. Did you? Oh, my God. You can travel in time. But hold on. If you could see me this morning, why didn't you tell me not to go in to work?"

"Crossing into established events is strictly forbidden. Except for cheap tricks."

"And that's your spaceship?"

"It's called the Tardis. Time and Relative Dimension in Space."

"Your spaceship's made of wood. There's not much room. We'd be a bit intimate."

"Take a look."

"How does it do that? It's wood. It's like a box with that room just rammed in. It's bigger on the inside."

"Is it? I hadn't noticed. Right then, let's get going."

"But is there a crew, like a navigator and stuff? Where is everyone?"

"Just me at the moment"

"All on your own?" She sounded concerned.

"Well, sometimes I have guests. I mean some friends, travelling alongside. I had. There was recently, a friend of mine. Rose, her name was. Rose. And we were together. Anyway." Again he found himself not mentioning his son.

"Where is she now?"

"With her family. She's fine. She's. Not that you're replacing her."

"Never said I was."

"Just one trip to say thanks. You get one trip, then back home. I'd rather be on my own." He lied again. Why did he keep lying.

"You're the one that kissed me."

"That was a genetic transfer."

"And if you will wear a tight suit." She flirted.

"Now, don't!"

"And then travel all the way across the universe just to ask me on a date."

"Stop it."

"For the record? I'm not remotely interested. I only go for humans."

"Good," He said. He sent the Tadis in to the time vortex. He saw a picture of the three of them hit the ground. He leaned over and picked it up, quickly stowing it in his top pocket. He looked at Martha and not for the first time that day, he wondered what he was doing.

-DW-

He took her back in time to see Shakespeare. As she laid on the bed that night beside him, his mind wandered back to holding Rose aboard the Tardis, while their son slept in the hospital. He looked at Martha and watched her sleeping so peacefully. He couldn't remember the last time that he had slept.

He stood up and paced the room. He saw Rose again, sitting in the chair, her hand resting on her stomach, speaking to the baby that she would never see again. With that thought he began to cry. He sat down in the corner of the room and pulled his knees tightly to his chest. He cried silently, his whole body shaking with sobs. He didn't hear Martha get up out of bed or come over to him, until he felt her hand on his back.

He lifted his head and wiped his face.

"Morning all ready," he said as though nothing was wrong. "Come on, lots to do today." he rushed out of the room.


	6. Lies

One trip to the past he had said. But still not wanting to be alone he stretched the definition and also took her to the future. To the City of New, New York. She had wanted to go to Gallifrey but once again he found himself lying to her. He had told her he didn't want to go home, when in reality he wanted to go there so bad it hurt. But lying to her had made it easier to pretend that his people were still alive and he hadn't been responsible for all of their deaths. That his family and friends were still waiting for his return.

Then he lied again when he said he had no idea what the Face of Boe meant when he told The Doctor he was not alone. It had been a long day and all he wanted to do was get back on the Tardis and climb into bed. But Martha wouldn't just let it go.

"But what did he mean, the Face of Boe? You're not alone." She asked for the third time.

"I don't know." He lied.

"You've got me. Is that what he meant?"

"I don't think so. Sorry."

"Then what?"

"Doesn't matter. Back to the Tardis, off we go."

He watches as Martha straightens up a chair and sits down, arms and legs crossed.

"All right, are you staying?"

"Till you talk to me properly, yes. He said last of your kind. What does that mean?"

"It really doesn't matter."

"You don't talk. You never say. Why not?"

"I lied to you, because I liked it. I could pretend. Just for a bit, I could imagine they were still alive, underneath a burnt orange sky. I'm not just a Time Lord. I'm the last full blooded, of the Time Lords. The Face of Boe was wrong. There's no one else."

"What happened?"

"There was a war. A Time War. The last Great Time War. My people fought a race called the Daleks, for the sake of all creation. And they lost. They lost. Everyone lost. They're all gone now. My family, my friends, even that sky. Oh, you should have seen it, that old planet. The second sun would rise in the south, and the mountains would shine. The leaves on the trees were silver, and when they caught the light every morning, it looked like a forest on fire. When the autumn came, the breeze would blow through the branches like a song."

He continued to talk telling her everything until he got to Rose. He paused. She waited for him to go on not saying a word.

He took a deep breath. "Come on there is something I want to show you."

Finally she followed him onto the Tardis. He landed the Tardis in the now familiar place in front of the hospital. He led her inside and saw the wonder on her face. She followed him to the Neonatal. "Doctor" she started to ask, but he kept walking. He stopped at the desk and informed them that she was a doctor and she was here with him to give a second opinion. After signing paperwork she followed him inside the room.

He stopped at the cradle of a little boy with short brown hair and hazel eyes. He scooped him gently in his arms and turned to look at Martha.

"Martha, I would like you to meet my son, Kiam Wyatt Tyler."

"You're a father." She asked amazed, taking the little boys hand.

The Doctor sat in a rocking chair and she pulled up a chair in front of him. He proceeded to tell her about his son and his mother. "And now she is trapped in the parallel world and I don't know what to do. for the first time, I really don't know." He looked sadly at the little boy.

They sat quietly for a while until, Kiam's Doctor entered the room.

"Doctor," he said "And who is this?" he gestured to Martha.

"Doctor Martha Jones. A friend of mine."

He turned back to the Doctor. "You have been gone a couple of days, we were starting to get worried. Your son is ready to go home. He has gained the weight we wanted, he is breathing and eating on his own and all test came out fine. He can go home this afternoon in fact. Just as soon as the paper work is done." He felt himself go slightly pale, he felt sick. He looked down at the baby in his arms. The only part of Rose that he had left.

Finally he placed the Baby back in the cradle and followed the Doctor out of the room.

-DW-

Sighing, He sat down the pen. He felt as though he had been filling out paper work forever. It had taken longer as he had to write in a language they understood, rather than the normal circular handwriting he was use to using.

He went into the waiting room and saw Martha sitting there. Her feet were propped up on the table and she was sound asleep. He chuckled and walked over to her.

"Martha," He said softly and shook her shoulder. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Come on we can finally leave."

"I went to the Tardis and found him an outfit." she held up a bag. "You really don't have that much things for babies."

"I've been busy." He didn't want to tell her about not knowing if he was going to take his son with him. He still didn't know for sure.

But as he dressed the baby and carried him out of the hospital and to the Tardis, he knew he could never leave the little one. He placed him into the same cot he had used as a child and smiled down.

"Welcome home"


	7. Human Nature

A couple of months had passed and Martha still traveled with him.

He and Martha ran into the Tardis, closely followed by a blast from an energy weapon.

"Get down!" He said frantically, and slammed the door shut. Kiam, strapped to his chest was crying loudly.

"Did they see you?" he asked Martha, as he unstrapped the baby and passed him to her.

"I don't know."

"But did they see you?"

"I don't know. I was too busy running."

"Martha, it's important. Did they see your face?"

"No, they couldn't have."

"Off we go!" He sets the Tardis in motion trying desperately to escape them.

"Argh! They're following us."

"How can they do that? You've got a time machine."

"Stolen technology. They've got a Time Agent's vortex manipulator. They can follow us wherever we go, right across the universe. They're never going to stop, unless. I'll have to do it. Martha, you trust me, don't you?"

"Of course I do."

"Because it all depends on you."

"What does? What am I supposed to do?"

He held out an ornately decorated pocket watch. "Take this watch, because my life depends on it. This watch, Martha. The watch is"

-DW-

He wakes up in a room with paneled walls. He looks at the baby asleep by his side, who had decided that instead of sleeping, it was time to play. He smiles at him and gets out of bed, and hears a knock at the door.

"Come in."

Martha entered wearing a maid uniform. She turns her back when she sees he isn't fully dressed.

"Pardon me, Mister Smith. You're not dressed yet. I can come back later."

He pulled on a dressing gown and then leaned down and picked up the squirming baby. "No, it's all right, it's all right. Put it down. I was er. Sorry, sorry. Sometimes I have these extraordinary dreams."

She sat the tray down on a table by the leather settee and draws the curtains

"What about, sir?"

"I dream I'm this adventurer. This daredevil, a madman. The Doctor, I'm called. And last night I dreamt that you were there, as my companion."

"A teacher, a child and a housemaid, sir? That's impossible.

"I'm a man from another world, though and this little guy is too." He says happily, tickling the baby's stomach.

"Well it can't be true because there's no such thing."

"This thing. The watch is." He picked up the watch and held it for a moment before placing it back on the Mantlepiece. "Ah, it's funny how dreams slip away. But I do remember one thing; it all took place in the future. In the Year of Our Lord two thousand and seven."

"I can prove that wrong for you, sir. Here's the morning paper. It's Monday, November tenth, nineteen thirteen, and you're completely human, sir. As human as they come."

"Mmm, that's me. Completely human."

-DW-

"Excuse me, ma'am." one of the boys said.

Joan met up with him. He was carrying a large stack of books in one arm and Kiam in the other.

"Oh, good morning, Mister Smith."

He drops some of the books "There we go."

"Let me help you." She offered.

"No, no, I've got it, no. Er, how best to retrieve? Tell you what. If you could take him." He passes Kiam over to her and then leans down and picks up the fallen books."No harm done. So, er, how was Jenkins?"

"Oh just a cold. Nothing serious. I think he's missing his mother more than anything," she replied.

"Oh, we can't have that." he looked sadly at the baby who had never known his mother. She had died in childbirth.

"He received a letter this morning, so he's a lot more chipper. I appear to still be holding your son."

"Yes, so you are. Sorry, sorry. Just let me." He tried to shift all the books to one arm again.

"No, why don't I hold him"

"Ah, brilliant idea. Brilliant. Perfect. Division of labour."

"We make quite a team."

"Don't we just."

"So, Were you going in any particular direction?"

"Yes. This way." he led her down a smaller corridor. "I always say, Matron, give the boys a good head of steam, they'll soon wear themselves out."

"Truth be told, when it's just you and me, I'd much rather you call me Nurse Redfern. Matron sounds rather well, matronly."

"Ah. Nurse Redfern it is then."

"Though we've known each other all of two months, you could even say Joan."

"Joan?"

"That's my name."

"Well, obviously."

"And it's John, isn't it and your son's name is Kiam"

"Yes, yes, it is, yes."

They stopped at the notice board at the top of a flight of stairs.

"Have you seen this, John? The annual dance at the village hall tomorrow. It's nothing formal, but rather fun by all accounts. Do you think you'll go?"

"I hadn't thought about it. I haven't been out since Kiam's mother..."

" I'm sorry, It's just been ages since I've been to a dance, only no one's asked me."

He starts to back away nervously.

"Well, I should imagine that you'd be, er, I mean, I never thought you'd be one for. I mean, there's no reason why you shouldn't. If you do, you may not. I, I probably won't, but even if I did then I couldn't. I mean I wouldn't want to" he stammered.

"The stairs."

"What about the stairs?"

"They're right behind you."

He felt himself slip and go down the stairs with books and papers flying everywhere. He looks back up the stairs, his face turning red with embarrassment and feeling relief at the same time to see Kiam, still safely in Joan's arms, grinning down at his father.

_Thank you to all my readers. Bare with me I am going to be following the next couple episodes more closely because I think it is a good time to show more interaction with his son. _


	8. Human Nature Part 2

Joan tended to the back of the his head, while Kiam played on a blanket near by. He was whining, he couldn't help it. He felt as though he had done something wrong with how roughly she handled his head.

"Stop it. I get boys causing less fuss than this."

"Because it hurts."

The door flew open and Martha ran in, "Are they all right?"

"Excuse me, Martha. It's hardly good form to enter a master's study without knocking."

"Sorry. Right. Yeah." He watched as she went back to the door and knocked on it.

She leaned down and noticed Kiam was just as happy as ever and looked up concerned at him. "But is he all right? They said you fell down the stairs, Sir."

"No, it was just a tumble, that's all."

"Have you checked for concussion?" Martha asked not being able to stop herself.

"I have. And I daresay I know a lot more about it than you."

"Sorry. I'll just tidy your things."

"I was just telling Nurse Redfern, Matron, about my dreams. They are quite remarkable tales. I keep imagining that I'm someone else, and that I'm hiding."

"Hiding? In what way?" Joan asked.

"They're almost every night. This is going to sound silly."

"Tell me."

"I dream, quite often, that I have two hearts."

"Well, then. I can be the judge of that. Let's find out." She pulls out her stethoscope and puts it to his chest. Martha comes over and discretely picks up Kiam and carries him over to his cot. Knowing that if Joan decided to listen to his heart, too, she would find a double heart beat.

"I can confirm the diagnosis. Just one heart, singular."

He eyes Martha, slightly confused. "I have er, I have written down some of these dreams in the form of fiction. Not that it would be of any interest."

"I'd be very interested."

"Well, I've never actually shown it to anyone before." He hands Joan his Journal.

"A Journal of Impossible Things."

She opens it and spreads it out so he can see it too. He walks over to the cot and giving Martha a look again, picks up Kiam and snuggles him to his chest.

"Just look at these creatures. Such imagination."

"It's become quite a hobby of mine while he sleeps."

"It's wonderful. And quite an eye for the pretty girls."

"Oh no, no, she was Kiam's mother. Her name was Rose. I called her, Rose. She passed away." He said sadly. Then seeing a picture of the Tardis he smiled. "Ah, that's the box. The blue box. It's always there. Like a like a magic carpet. This funny little box that transports me to far away places.:

"Like a doorway?"

"I sometimes think how magical life would be if stories like this were true."

"If only."

"There just dreams"

-DW-

He was walking outside enjoying the cool night air of the village. He had taken Kiam out to the nearby pond for some fresh air and had lost tack of time. He had happily played with him in the grass, holding the little boy's hands as he tried to walk. He had been late to crawling and John worked tirelessly with him to stretch his legs, hoping that nothing was wrong. He frowned as a picture of his son, in a weird machine, hooked up to wires flashed across his mind. It was gone just as quickly. He shook his head and smiled at him.

"Soon you'll be walking all on your own," He said happily. "You're going to be a runner like your dad."

He now was heading back to the school. He had placed Kiam in his coat to keep him warm. And he was sound asleep with only his face poking out. His brown hair as messy as his father's.

He came across Martha and Jenny sitting outside of the local pub.

"Anything wrong, ladies? Far too cold to be standing around in the dark, don't you think."

"There, there. Look in the sky." Joan said.

He looks up to see a light crossing the sky.

"Oh, that's beautiful." Jenny said.

He watched it disappear before speaking up. "All gone. Commonly known as a meteorite. It's just rocks falling to the ground, that's all."

"It came down in the woods."

"No, no, no. No, they always look close, when actually they're miles off. Nothing left but a cinder. Now, I should escort you back to the school. Ladies?"

"No, we're fine, thanks," Martha Replied.

"Then I shall bid you goodnight." He holds out his free elbow to Joan and she wraps her hand around it. He adjust Kiam to hold him easier with his other arm and starts back to the school.

Once back at the school, he walks her to her room and bids her goodnight. He goes into his room and takes off his coat being careful not to wake the sleeping child. He changes him and lays him on the bed while he gets ready.

Laying down next to his son, he scoops him up and lays him on his chest. He covers up and puts his hand on his back. "As lovely as my dreams are, you wouldn't be safe." he says softly. "Being that adventurer is no way to raise a child. Though, I wish I could show you those stars."

-DW-

He was dreaming again

"Get down! They're following us. They can follow us wherever we go. Right across the universe. They're never going to stop. Martha, you trust me, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Martha replied.

"Because it all depends on you. Martha, this watch is me."

"Right, okay, gotcha. No, hold on. Completely lost."

"Those creatures are hunters. They can sniff out anyone, and me being a Time Lord, well, I'm unique. They can track me down across the whole of time and space."

"Huh. And the good news is?"

"They can smell me, they haven't seen me. And their life span'll be running out, so we hide. Wait for them to die."

"But they can track us down."

"That's why I've got to do it. I have to stop being a Time Lord. I'm going to become human." He hits a button and a headset is lowered from the ceiling.

"Never thought I'd use this. All the times I've wondered."

"What does it do?"

"Chameleon Arch. Rewrites my biology. Literally changes every single cell in my body. I've set it to human." He put the watch in the headset.

"What about Kiam? Won't they be able to smell him. He is Timelord after all."

"He is also half human and only a baby. his scent should be light enough that it throw them off. Now, the Tardis will take care of everything. Invent a life story for me, find me a setting and integrate me. It can't do the same for you or Kiam. You'll just have to improvise. I should have just enough residual awareness to let you in and remember that he is my son. But if I don't I need you to promise me, that you'll take care of him."

"I promise," Martha replied." But, hold on. If you're going to rewrite every single cell, isn't it going to hurt?"

"Oh, yeah. It hurts."

He tucked Kiam into bed safely away from the control room and kissed him on his head.

Sitting down in the machine, he put the helmet on and began to scream.

Jerking awake, in a cold sweat, it took a minute to remember where he was. He looked for his journal to write down the dream and than remembered he had lent it to Joan. He placed his arm over his sleeping son and closed his eyes.


	9. Human Nature Part 3

There was knock at the door and he walked over and opened it. Martha had taken Kiam for the afternoon, while he graded papers.

"You told me to come and collect that book, sir." Timothy said.

"Good lad. Yes. Yes! The Definitive Account of Mafeking by Aitchison Price. Where did I put it? And I wanted a little word. Your marks aren't quite good enough. "

"I'm top ten in my class, sir."

"Now, be honest, Timothy, you should be the very top. You're a clever boy. You seem to be hiding it. Where is that book? And I know why. Keeping your head low avoids the mockery of your classmates. But no man should hide himself, don't you think?"

"Yes, sir."

He heads into the alcove to search for the book. Finding it, he heads back to Timothy. "Fascinating details about the siege. Really quite remarkable. Are you all right?"

"Yes, sir. Fine, sir."

"Right then. Good. And remember. Use that brain of yours." He looks concerned at Timothy. "You're really not looking yourself, old chap. Anything bothering you?"

"No, sir Thank you, sir."

-DW-

He was out on the shooting range watching the Boys practicing firing machine guns at targets. He hated teaching the class but it was a condition on him getting the job here.

"Concentrate." He said half heartedly.

"Hutchinson, excellent work."

"Cease fire!"

"Good day to you, Headmaster." He said pleasantly.

"Your crew's on fine form today, Mister Smith."

"Thank you sir"

He walked to the wall. "Ah, Nurse Redfern."

"Er, I'll give you back your journal when next I see you."

"No, no, no. You don't have to."

"If you'll excuse me, Mister Smith. I was just thinking about the day my husband was shot."

He gathered up Kiam from Martha and the three of them were walking in the Village. Though he trusted Martha, after her reaction the other day, he was less inclined to let her spend a lot of time with his son.

"His name was Oliver." Joan began, continuing their earlier conversation." He died in the battle of Spion Cop. We were childhood sweethearts. But you see, I was angry with the army for such a long time."

"It sounds as though, you still are."

"I find myself as part of that school watching boys learn how to kill."

"Don't you think discipline is good for them?"  
"Does it have to be such military discipline? I mean, if there's another war those boys won't find it so amusing and is that what you want for him." She gestured to the baby in his arms.

"Well, Great Britain is at peace, long may it reign."

"In your journal, in one of your stories, you wrote about next year. Nineteen fourteen."

"That was just a dream."

"All those images of mud and wire. You told of a shadow. A shadow falling across the entire world."

"Well then, we can be thankful it's not true. And I'll admit mankind doesn't need warfare and bloodshed to prove itself. Everyday life can provide honor and valor, and let's hope that from now on this, this country can find its heroes in smaller places."

He hears a bicycle bell and turns to see men with a piano struggling as it dangles from a fraying rope. He sees a woman pushing a stroller come around the corner.

"In the most," He passes Kiam to Joan. "Ordinary of, of deeds."

He grabs a cricket ball ball from a small boy next to them and throws it at the scaffolding outside the Ironmongers. He watches as it falls and hits a plank that sends a brick flying through the air to knock down a milk churn in front of the stroller stopping it just before the rope finally gives up and drops the piano to the ground mere feet in front. The piano falls to pieces and he hears the baby start to cry.

"Lucky." He says casually, taking his son back.

"That was luck?"

"Nurse Redfern, might I invite you to the village dance this evening, as my guest?"

"You extraordinary man."

-DW-

They sit in his study. He laid Kiam down for a nap and then took out his notebook to sketch Joan.

"Can I see?" She asked impatiently.

He moves to sit next to her on the Chesterfield.

"Oh, goodness Do I look like that? Are you sure that's not me?" She points to one of the aliens on a previous page.

"Most definitely this page. Do you like it?"

"You've made me far too beautiful."

"Well, that's how I see you."

"Widows aren't supposed to be beautiful. I think the world would rather we stopped. Is that fair? That we stop?"

"That's not fair at all."

He strokes her hair and then kisses her. "I've never." he leans in and kisses her again. He hears the door opened and pulls away startled.  
"Martha, what have I told you about entering unannounced?" He watches as she runs out again, the moment ruined.

-DW-

He watched Joan show off her party dress. "You look wonderful."

"You'd best give me some warning. Er, can you actually dance?"

"I'm not certain."

"There's a surprise. Is there anything you're certain about?"

"Yes. Yes." He takes her by the hand.

The moment was once again ruined by a door slamming open and the sounds of Kiam crying.

"They've found us." Martha said out of breath.

"This is ridiculous."

"Martha, I've warned you." He scooped up the crying baby and began to comfort him.

"They've found us, and I've seen them. They look like people, like us, like normal. I'm sorry, but you've got to open the watch. Where is it?  
Oh, my God. Where's it gone? Where's the watch?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You had a watch. A fob watch. Right there." He sees her point at the Mantle.

"Did I? I don't remember."

"I can't see what concern it is of yours." Joan says.

"But we need it. Oh, my God, Doctor, we're hiding from aliens, and they've got Jenny and they've possessed her or copied her or something, and you've got to tell me, where's the watch?"

"Oh, I see. Cultural differences. It must be so confusing for you. Martha, this is what we call a story."

"Oh you complete. This is not you. This is nineteen thirteen."

"Good. This is nineteen thirteen."

"I've sorry. I'm really sorry, but I've got to snap you out of this."  
She walks up to him and he feels her slap his cheek. Kiam starts crying again at the noise.

"Martha!" Joan says startled.

"Wake up! You're coming back to the Tardis with me."

"How dare, how dare you. I'm not going anywhere with an insane servant. Martha, you are dismissed. You will leave these premises immediately. Now get out!" He pushes her out into the corridor and slams the door behind her. He paces trying to quiet his son again but too angry to accomplish it. "The nerve of it. The absolute cheek. You think I'm a fantasist? What about her?"

"The funny thing is, you did have a fob watch, right there. Don't you remember?"

He finds another of the servants to watch Kiam for the night and then takes Joans hand and they head to the village.

"She's infatuated. You're a dangerous man."

"You've taken my arm in public."

"I'm very scared."

-DW-

"Ladies and gentlemen. Please take your partners for a waltz." He takes her hand as the Village band starts playing and leads her out on to the dance floor.

"You can dance."

"I surprise myself."

After several dances, he leaves her at a table to fetch them some drinks. He returns to the table to find Martha sitting there with her.

"Oh, now really, Martha. This is getting out of hand. I must insist that you leave."

Martha holds up an object. "Do you know what this is? Name it. Go on, name it."

"John, what is that silly thing? John?"

He takes it from her and stares at it. "You're not John Smith. You're called the Doctor. The man in your journal, he's real. He's you."

Still distracted he is surprised when he hears a voice say. "There will be silence! All of you!" He looks up and sees scarecrows entering. "I said, silence"

"Mister Clarke, what's going on?" He watches surprised as a gun is aimed at the man and he disappears.

"Mister Smith? Everything I told you, just forget it! Don't say anything." Marha says.

"We asked for silence! Now then, we have a few questions for Mister Smith."

"No, better than that. The teacher. He's the Doctor. I heard them talking." A little girl says.

"You took human form?" Baines asked.

"Of course I'm human. I was born human, as were you, Baines. And Jenny, and you, Mister Clark. What is going on? This is madness."

"Ooo, and a human brain, too. Simple, thick and dull."

"But he's no good like this." The little girl whined.

"We need a Time Lord."

"Easily done." Baines steps forward and points a gun at his face. "Change back."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Change back!"

"I literally do not know"

He watches as Jenny grabs Martha, and puts a gun to her head.

"Get off me!" Martha says.

"She's your friend, isn't she? Doesn't this scare you enough to change back?"

"I don't know what you mean!" He asked scared. He hoped silently that they didn't think of his son back at the school.

"Wait a minute. The maid told me about Smith and the Matron. That woman, there."

"Then let's have you." Clark grabs Joan and places the gun to her head. "Have you enjoyed it, Doctor, being human? Has it taught you wonderful things? Are you better, richer, wiser? Then let's see you answer this. Which one of them do you want us to kill? Maid or matron? Your friend or your lover? Your choice."


	10. Family of the Blood

He was still in shock. They had somehow got away and had made it back to the school, He assembled the troops and then made his way to the servants quarters to make sure Kiam was all right. Leaving him there he headed back to the battle. But as they fired on the scarecrows a worse battle flashed in from of his eyes and he ordered the boys to retreat from the school. Martha has come running down, the stairs, Kiam in her arms and they ran from the building with Joan beside them. They hid in the bushes and watched Clarks standing out side the blue box from his Dreams.

"Doctor! Doctor! Come back, Doctor. Come home. Come and claim your prize." Clark called.

"Out you come, Doctor. There's a good boy. Come to the Family." Baines yelled.

"Time to end it now." Jenny pitched in.

"You recognise it, don't you?" Martha said.

"I've never seen it in my life." He tried to lie.

"Do you remember its name?" Martha asked.

"I'm sorry, John, but you wrote about it. The blue box. You dreamt of a blue box." Joan said.

"I'm not. I'm John Smith. That's all I want to be. John Smith, with his life, and his job, and his love and his child. Why can't I be John Smith? Isn't he a good man?"

"Yes. Yes, he is." Joan replied.

"Why can't I stay?"

"But we need the Doctor."

"What am I, then? Nothing. I'm just a story." Holding Kiam tightly to him, he turned and ran away.

"This way. I think I know somewhere we can hide." Joan said.

"We've got to keep going." He replied.

"Just listen to me for once, John. Now, follow me."

-Dw-

They came across a cottage and he heard Joan say.  
Oh, here we are. It should be empty. Oh, it's a long time since I've run that far."

"But who lives here?" Martha asked.

"If I'm right, no one."

They head inside and find it dark.

"Hello? No one home. We should be safe here."

"Whose house is it, though?"

"Er, the Cartwrights. That little girl at the school, she's Lucy Cartwright, or she's taken Lucy Cartwright's form. If she came home this afternoon and if the parents tried to stop their little girl, then they were vanished." she walks over to a table and touches the teapot sitting on it. "Stone cold. How easily I accept these ideas."

"I must go to them, before anyone else dies."

"You can't. Martha, there must be something we can do."

"Not without the watch." Martha said sadly.

"You're this Doctor's companion. Can't you help? What exactly do you do for him? Why does he need you?"

"Because he's lonely."

"And that's what you want me to become."

They all turned at the sudden knock at the door.

"What if it's them?"

"I'm not an expert, but I don't think scarecrows knock." He watches Martha open the door. And come back into the room with Timothy.

"I brought you this." Timothy says holding out the watch.

"Hold it."

"I won't."

"Please, just hold it." Martha pleads.

"It told me to find you. It wants to be held."

"You've had this watch all this time? Why didn't you return it?" Joan scolded him.

"Because it was waiting. And because I was so scared of the Doctor."

"Why?"

"Because I've seen him. He's like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night and the storm in the heart of the sun." Timothy began.

"Stop it."

"He's ancient and forever. He burns at the center of time and he can see the turn of the universe."

"Stop it! I said stop it."

"And he's wonderful." Timothy finally finished.

"I've still got this. The journal." Joan said pulling it out.

"Those are just stories." The Doctor replied passing the baby to Martha, and heading to Joan.

"Now we know that's not true. Perhaps there's something in here."

"What the hell?" Martha said. They look out the window to see fireballs falling to the the earth.

"They're destroying the village." Joan said sadly.

"The watch."

"John, don't."

Closer. he hears a voice say.

"Can you hear it?" Timothy asked him.

"I think he's asleep. Waiting to awaken." he replied.

Little man. The voice says.

"Why did he speak to me?"

"Oh, low level telepathic field. You were born with it. Just an extra synaptic engram causing. Is that how he talks?"

"That's him. All you have to do is open it and he's back."

"You knew this all along and yet you watched while Nurse Redfern and I"

"I didn't know how to stop you. He gave me a list of things to watch out, for but that wasn't included."

"Falling in love? That didn't even occur to him? What about my son, is he just part of this story as well."

"No."

"Then what sort of man is that? And now you expect me to die?"

"It was always going to end, though! The Doctor said the Family's got a limited lifespan, and that's why they need to consume a Time Lord. Otherwise, three months and they die. Like mayflies, he said."

"So your job was to execute me."

"People are dying out there. They need him and I need him. Because you've got no idea of what he's like. I've only just met him. It wasn't even that long ago. But he is everything. He's just everything to me and he doesn't even look at me, but I don't care, because I love him to bits. And I hope to God he won't remember me saying this."

"It's getting closer." Timothy piped up.

"I should have thought of it before. I can give them this. Just the watch. Then they can leave and I can stay as I am."

"You can't do that!"

"If they want the Doctor, they can have him."

"He'll never let you do it."

"If they get what they want, then, then" He stuttered.

"Then it all ends in destruction. I never read to the end, but those creatures would live forever to breed and conquer, for war across the stars for every child. Martha, Timothy, would you leave us alone, please?"

He watches as they leave, Martha still carrying Kiam in her arms. Than Joan scoops him into a hug as he cries.

"If I could do this instead of you, then I would. I'd hoped. But my hopes aren't important."

"He won't love you."

"If he's not you, then I don't want him to. I had one husband, and he died. I never thought, ever again. And then you were so"

"And it was real. I wasn't. I really thought."

"Let me see. Blasted thing. Blasted, blasted thing. Can't even hear it. It says nothing to me."

He places his hands over her's and the watch.

He seems himself as he kisses his bride as the bells ring. He holds their first-born child. They take two children for a walk in the woods. He lies on his death bed, an old man.

"They're all safe, aren't they? The children, the grandchildren. Everyone's safe?" he asks

"Everyone's safe, and they all send their love, John." she replies.

"Well, it's time. Thank you."

"Did you see?" He asks Joan.

"The Time Lord has such adventures, but he could never have a life like that."

"And yet I could."

"What are you going to do?"

Thinking about the child with Martha. He picks up the watch and opens it.

-DW-

"Is it done?" Joan asked.

"It's done." He replied. He was standing in her doorway watching her.

"The police and the army are at the school. The parents have come to take the boys home. I should go. They'll have so many questions. I'm not sure what to say. Oh, you look the same. Goodness, you must forgive my rudeness. I find it difficult to look at you. Doctor, I must call you Doctor. Where is he? John Smith?"

"He's in here somewhere."

"Like a story. Could you change back?"

"Yes." He replied honestly.

"Will you?"

"No."

"I see. Well, then. He was braver that you in the end, that ordinary man. You chose to change. He chose to die."

"Come with us."

"I'm sorry?"

"Travel with us." he said again.

"As what?"

"My companion."

"But that's not fair. What must I look like to you, Doctor? I must seem so very small."

"No. We could try to be friends. I'd like that. You and me."

"I can't."

"Please come with me."

"I can't." Joan replied.

"Why not?" The Doctor asked.

"John Smith is dead, and you look like him." Joan said.

"But he's here, inside, if you look in my eyes." He found himself pleading.

"Answer me this. Just one question, that's all. If the Doctor had never visited us, if he'd never chosen this place on a whim, would anybody here have died? You can go."

He turns and leaves and heads to the Tardis.

-DW-  
He sees Martha standing in the field next to the Tardis. She is holding up Kiam as he stomps his feet in a puddle Laughing. Kiam looks up to him and smiles. He scoops the toddler up to him and hugs him tightly.

"Right then. Molto bene." He said standing next to the Tardis with her.

Martha looked at him. "How was she?"

"Time we moved on." He said avoiding the question.

"If you want, I could go and"

"Time we moved on." He repeated.

"Er, I meant to say, back there, last night. I would have said anything to get you to change." She said.

"Oh yeah, of course you would. Yeah."

"I mean, I wasn't really" She tried to explain.

"Oh, no, no." He teased.

"So here we are then." Martha said

"There we are, yes. And I never said. Thanks for looking after me and Kiam." He gives her a one armed hug.

"Doctor. Martha." Timothy says.

"Tim Timothy Timber." The Doctor jokes.

"I just wanted to say goodbye. And thank you. Because I've seen the future and I now know what must be done. It's coming, isn't it? The biggest war ever."

"You don't have to fight." Martha says.

"I think we do." Timothy replied.

"But you could get hurt."

"Well, so could you, travelling around with him, but it's not going to stop you."

"Tim, I'd be honoured if you'd take this." He hands him the Fob watch.

"I can't hear anything."

"No, it's just a watch now. But keep it with you, for good luck."

"Look after yourself." Martha says giving Timothy a hug and kiss and then heads into the Tardis.

"You'll like this bit." The Doctor says. He goes into the Tardis and closes the doors. "Where too next," he asks Martha, sending the Tardis in to the vortex.


	11. 1962

Kiam's first Birthday was in a few days and he was becoming more depressed by the day. Being stuck in 1962 didn't help much. They had left 1913 and gone to stop the Migration. Ending at this strange house. He had gone in with Martha to investigate and found himself in 1962 without the Tardis but thankfully still with the folder he had been given earlier that day. He knew what he had to do now but he had to wait in order to accomplish it.

Martha had gotten a job, working at a shop to support them and found a two bedroom flat for them to live in. He smiled and Joked with her and tried to be happy, but after she had gone to bed for the night and he had laid Kiam down to sleep. He had found his thoughts growing darker. He missed Rose fiercely and kept picturing her being pulled away from him. He loved his son with both his hearts but wondered again if traveling with him was the best thing for the baby.

He knocked on her door lightly. "Yes," she called through.

"I need to take a walk. Would you mind listening for Kiam."

"No," she called back.

He left the flat and headed down the street. He hated feeling trapped, he missed the Tardis and he missed the stars. He walked in the cool night air, staring at them as he walked. He traced the familiar path he had taken to the beach. He sat down on a rock and took of his shoes and socks. He removed his coat and then his suit until he was only in a pair of shorts. He wrapped his clothes in the coat and stashed them in a bush nearby.

He had come here every night for the last week. He walked out in the lake until it became to deep to walk. Than he swam a few more feet. He treaded water for a moment before taking a deep breath and sinking to the bottom. He sat on the bottom of the lake, just like he did the pool on the Tardis all those months ago and he closed his eyes. He stayed on the bottom, long after his lungs begged for air, and his hearts pounded in his chest. He stayed until he could stand it no longer and then he pushed himself to the surface of the lake. He gasped for breath as soon as he felt his head hit the air.

He kicked gently, keeping himself a float until he finally headed back to the beach. He wasn't surprised to see her sitting on the Rock holding the sleeping child. "So every night while we sleep, you come out here and try to work up the courage to kill yourself." she said softly.

"It's not like that, Martha." He replied laying down in the grass.

"Than explain it to me."

He didn't answer her. He just stared at the sky and felt the turn of the Earth below him.

He finally set up and looked at her. "I miss her so much." He said quietly. "I feel dead Martha." He looked away as her eyes teared up. He didn't want to see her cry. "I come out here and try to feel something besides the pain of losing her and knowing that, my son is the only thing I have left of her. She gave me life again when I was ready to die." He stood up and gathered his clothes up, not bothering to get dressed. He turned and headed back to the flat.

He barely spoke the next couple of days and he could tell Martha was worried about him, but she was afraid to ask. Besides she talked enough for the two of them. She talked about work and how she was making friends there. She told him all about the cake she was going to make Kiam for his first birthday and went on about the presents she had bought for him.

"Oi, little ears are listening." He said finally.

"It's not like he will remember." She replied.

That was another thing that worried him but he didn't say it to Martha. He had been working with Kiam to develop his motor skills and had noticed that he wasn't developing as fast as other Timelord children. Sure he was half human and had been born premature, but it worried him. He should have been more advanced by now.

-DW-

He heard Kiam crying and rushed into the bedroom they shared. "Happy Birthday, Little Timelord," He said affectionately, scooping him up. "How old are you now, hmmmmm, Twenty one." he tickled the baby's stomach and smiled at his laughter. He got him dressed and headed out to the kitchen where Martha was waiting.

"Happy birthday," she said happily and passed the Doctor a box. He sat Kiam on the counter and helped him to open the box.

"Awe, Matha," He said surprised. He lifted out of the box a little pinstriped suit with a matching long brown coat. "Where did you find it?" He asked.

"That's for me to know," She said. "You like it."

"I do," Thank you.

_Short little filler._


	12. Utopia

They had escped 1962 with the help of a girl named Sally Sparrow. They had been there for only about a month, but not having been able to travel for about three months now, but first things first, they had to make a pit stop in...

"Cardiff." He said Happily

"Cardiff?" Martha asked confused.

"Ah, but the thing about Cardiff, it's built on a rift in time and space, just like California and the San Andreas Fault, but the rift bleeds energy. Every now and then I need to open up the engines, soak up the energy and use it as fuel."

"So it's a pit stop."

"Exactly. Should only take twenty seconds. The rift's been active."

"Wait a minute. They had an earthquake in Cardiff a couple of years ago. Was that you?" Martha said accusingly.

"Bit of trouble with the Slitheen." he admited.

"A long time ago. Lifetimes. I was a different man back then." He smiles at the baby in a playpen near by.

"Finito. All powered up." He looks down at the scanner and sees Jack running for the Tardis. He sets the Tardis in motion and they feel something slam against the Tardis with a bang.

"Whoa! What's that?"

"We're accelerating into the future. The year one billion. Five billion. Five trillion. Fifty trillion? What? The year one hundred trillion? That's impossible."

"Why? What happens then?"

"We're going to the end of the universe."

-DW-

"Well, we've landed." He says finally.

"So what's out there?"

"I don't know."

"Say that again. That's rare."

"Not even the Time Lords came this far. We should leave. We should go. We should really, really go."

He grins at Martha, scoops up Kiam and dashes to the door. Grabbing his coat on the way.

He opens the door and spots a man laying on the ground nearby.

"Oh my God!" Martha says. "I can't get a pulse. Hold on. You've got that medical kit thing." He hears her run into the Tardis and looks down at the man.

"Hello again. Oh, I'm sorry."

"Here we go. Get out of the way. It's a bit odd, though. Not very hundred trillion. That coat's more like World War Two."

"I think he came with us."

"How do you mean, from Earth?"

"Must have been clinging to the outside of the Tardis all the way through the vortex. Well, that's very him." He says and adjust Kiam to his other arm as the child began to squirm. He had started walking recently and just like his Dad he loved to run.

"What, do you know him?"

"Friend of mine. Used to travel with me, back in the old days."

"But he's. I'm sorry, there's no heartbeat. There's nothing. He's dead."

He stands there and watches as Jack gasp suddenly for breath and grabs Martha, who screams. He sees Kiams face fall and starts talking softly to him before he starts to cry.

"Oh, so much for me. It's all right. Just breathe deep. I've got you." Martha says holding her chest.

"Captain Jack Harkness. And who are you?"

"Martha Jones."

"Nice to meet you, Martha Jones."

"Oh, don't start." He said aloud.

"I was only saying hello."

"I don't mind." He watches Martha help Jack stand up. Still not moving towards him.

"Doctor."

"Captain."

"Whose this." Jack asked.

"My son, Kiam."

" Well it's good to see you."

"And you. Same as ever. Although, have you had work done?"

"You can talk." Jack Huffed.

"Oh yes, the face. Regeneration. How did you know this was me?"

"The police box kind of gives it away. I've been following you for a long time. You abandoned me."

"Did I? Busy life. Moving on."

"Just got to ask. The Battle of Canary Wharf. I saw the list of the dead. It said Rose Tyler."

"Oh, no! Sorry, she's alive. He's actually her son too."

"You're kidding."

"Parallel world, safe and sound. And Mickey, and her mother."

"Oh, yes!" Him and Jack hug.

"Good old Rose." he hears martha mumble.

They start walking in the wasteland of the planet.

"So there I was, stranded in the year two hundred one hundred, ankle deep in Dalek dust, and he goes off without me. But I had this," he holds up his arm. "I used to be a Time Agent. It's called a vortex manipulator. He's not the only one who can time travel."

"Oh, excuse me. That is not time travel. It's like, I've got a sports car and you've got a space hopper."

"Oh ho. Boys and their toys."

"All right, so I bounced. I thought 21st century, the best place to find the Doctor, except that I got it a little wrong. Arrived in 1869, this thing burnt out, so it was useless."

"Told you." He said smugly.

"I had to live through the entire twentieth century waiting for a version of you that would coincide with me."

"But that makes you more than one hundred years old," Martha said startled.

"And looking good, don't you think? So I went to the time rift, based myself there because I knew you'd come back to refuel. Until finally I get a signal on this detecting you and here we are."

"But the thing is, how come you left him behind, Doctor?" Martha asked.

"I was busy."

"Is that what happens, though, seriously? Do you just get bored with us one day and disappear?" He glared at her. After all he had told her she should have known better than that.

"Not if you're blonde," Jack said. "Than you get a baby."

"Oh, she was blonde? Oh, what a surprise!"

"You two! We're at the end of the universe, all right? Right at the edge of knowledge itself and you're busy blogging! Come on." He stands on the edge of a cliff and looks at the construction below.  
The little boy in his arms points and makes noises happily.

"Is that a city?" Martha asked.

"A city or a hive, or a nest, or a conglomeration. Like it was grown. But look, there. That's like pathways, roads? Must have been some sort of life, long ago."

"What killed it?"

"Time. Just time. Everything's dying now. All the great civilizations have gone. This isn't just night. All the stars have burned up and faded away into nothing."

"They must have an atmospheric shell. We should be frozen to death."

"Well, Martha, Kiam, and I, maybe. Not so sure about you, Jack."

"What about the people? Does no one survive?"

"I suppose we have to hope life will find a way."

"Well, he's not doing too bad." Jack points and He looks to see a man dashing through the city pursued by a tribe.

"Human!" One of them Yells.

"Is it me, or does that look like a hunt? Come on!" He switches Kiam to his side and takes off at a run with Jack and Martha behind him.

"I've got you."

"They're coming! They're coming!" The man says frantically.

"Jack, don't you dare!" He says seeing, Jack pull out a revolver. He watches Jack hold it up in the air and pushes, Kiams head against his chest and cover's his other ear with his hand. He sees Jack watching him and nods. Jack shoots it into the air and the tribe stops. He loosens his grip and Kiam looks unhappily at him.

"What the hell are they?"

"There's more of them. We've got to keep going." The man replied.

"I've got a ship nearby. It's safe. It's not far, it's over there." He points and as he does so , more men appear on the cliff. "Or Maybe not."

"We're close to the silo. If we get to the silo, then we're safe."

"Silo?" He ask, his mind all ready made up.

"Silo." Jack answers

"Silo for me."

They dash towards the silo. "It's the Futurekind! Open the gate!" The man yells at the guards.

"Show me your teeth! Show me your teeth! Show me your teeth!" The guard yells as they approach the gate.

"Show him your teeth."

He shows his teeth

"Human! Let them in! Let them in!" He runs in as the gates open and turns to make sure Jack and Martha made it through safely.

"Close! Close! Close!" He watches as the guard fires at the ground. Kiam starts screaming not use to the sound of gunfire. He pulls him on to his chest and wraps his coat and his arms around him, shushing him quietly.

"Humans. Humani. Make feast."

"Go back to where you came from. I said, go back. Back!" The guard yells.

"Oh, don't tell him to put his gun down." Jack snaps.

"He's not my responsibility." He replies still gently bouncing Kiam.

"And I am? Huh, that makes a change."

"Kind watch you. Kind hungry." He waits until they leave before stepping forward to the guard.

"Thanks for that."

"Right. Let's get you inside." The guard says.

"My name is Padra Toc Shafe Cane. Tell me. Just tell me, can you take me to Utopia?"

"Oh yes, sir. Yes, I can."


	13. Utopia part 2

He was trying to explain to the guard about the Tardis, but it was obvious the man wasn't concerned "It looks like a box, a big blue box. I'm sorry, but I really need it back. It's stuck out there."

"I'm sorry," Padra interrupted. "But my family were heading for the silo. Did they get here?"

"The computers are down but you can check the paperwork. Creet! Passenger needs help." A young man appears and Padra goes over to him.

"A blue box, you said."

"Big, tall, wooden. Says Police." The Doctor responded.

"We're driving out for the last water collection. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you."

"Come on." They heard creet say. They follow him down the corridors listening to him calling out for Padra's familty.

"It's like a refugee camp." Martha commented.

"Stinking. Oh, sorry. No offence. Not you." Jack said.

"Don't you see that?" He said happily" The ripe old smell of humans. You survived. Oh, you might have spent a million years evolving into clouds of gas, and another million as downloads, but you always revert to the same basic shape. The fundamental humans. End of the universe and here you are. Indomitable! That's the word. Indomitable! Ha!"

Finally coming across Padra's family. He notices a door and heads over to it. He reaches into his Jacket and pulls out the sonic screwdriver and starts to examine the door.

"Captain Jack Harkness. And who are you?" He hears Jack say.

"Stop it. Give us a hand with this. It's half deadlocked. I need you to overwrite the code. Let's find out where we are." He hands Kiam off to Martha and continues to work on the door. Finally getting it open he sees a giant rocket just as he starts to fall into the silo. He feels a hand grab his arm roughly.

"Gotcha." Jack says.

"Thanks."

"How did you cope without me?" Jack asks smugly. He grins at Jack in response.

"They're not refugees, they're passengers." He realizes.

"He said they were going to Utopia." Martha speaks up.

"The perfect place. Hundred trillion years, it's the same old dream." He turned to Jack. "You recognize those engines?"

"Nope. Whatever it is, it's not rocket science. But it's hot, though."

He helps Jack shut the door. "Boiling. But if the universe is falling apart, what does Utopia mean?"

"The Doctor?" An older man says.

"That's me." He responds.

"Good! Good! Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good." The man grabs his arm and starts dragging him down the corridor.

"It's good apparently."

They reach a laboratory. He looks to make sure Martha had followed him with Kiam, before focusing on what the man is saying.

"Captain Jack Harkness." He hears and automatically responds "Stop it."

"Can't I say hello to anyone?"

He turns his attention back to the professor." And all this feeds into the rocket?" He asks.

"Yeah, except without a stable footprint, you see, we're unable to achieve escape velocity. If only we could harmonize the five impact patterns and unify them, well, we might yet make it. What do you think, Doctor? Any ideas?"

"Well, er, basically, sort of, not a clue." He finally admits. "I'm not from around these parts. I've never seen a system like it. Sorry."

"No, no. I'm sorry. It's my fault. There's been so little help."

"Oh, my God. You've got a hand? A hand in a jar. A hand in a jar in your bag."

Interested, he heads over, and looks at the jar. "But that, that, that's my hand."

"I said I had a Doctor detector." Jack says.

"What do you mean, that's your hand? You've got both your hands, I can see them." Martha says startled.

"Long story. I lost my hand Christmas Day, in a swordfight."

"What? And you grew another hand?"

"Er, yeah, yeah, I did. Yeah. Hello."

"Might I ask, what species are you?" The professor ask.

"Time Lord, one of the last of. Heard of them? Legend or anything? Not even a myth? Blimey, end of the universe is a bit humbling." He says looking at there blank faces.

"Chan it is said that I am the last of my species too tho."

"Sorry, what was your name?" He takes the squirming toddler out of Martha's arms and smiles as Kiam leans forward trying to grab the jar.

"My assistant and good friend, Chantho. A survivor of the Malmooth. This was their planet, Malcassairo, before we took refuge."

"The city outside, that was yours?" He ask curiously.

"Chan the conglomeration died tho."

"Conglomeration. That's what I said." He says happily.

"You're supposed to say sorry." Jack scolded him.

"Oh, yes. Sorry." He hoped he sounded sorry.

"You grew another hand?" Martha says again.

"Hello, again." He waves at her. Than stands up. He puts Kiam on his hip. "It's fine." He sticks his hand out at her and wiggles his fingers. "Look, really, it's me."

"All this time and you're still full of surprises."

"So what about those things outside? The Beastie Boys. What are they?"  
Jack ask.

"We call them the Futurekind, which is a myth in itself, but it's feared they are what we will become, unless we reach Utopia."

"And Utopia is?"

"Oh, every human knows of Utopia. Where have you been?" The professor asks him.

"Bit of a hermit." He answers

"A hermit with friends and a child?"

"Hermits United. We meet up every ten years and swap stories about caves. It's good fun, for a hermit. So, er, Utopia?"

"The call came from across the stars, over and over again. Come to Utopia. Originating from that point." The professor responds.

"Where is that?" He leans over to look at the screen in front of him.

"Oh, it's far beyond the Condensate Wilderness, out towards the Wildlands and the Dark Matter reefs, calling us in. The last of the humans scattered across the night."

"What do you think's out there?"

"We can't know. A colony, a city, some sort of haven? The Science Foundation created the Utopia Project thousands of years ago to preserve mankind, to find a way of surviving beyond the collapse of reality itself. Now perhaps they found it. Perhaps not. But it's worth a look, don't you think?"

"Oh, yes. And the signal keeps modulating, so it's not automatic. That's a good sign someone's out there. And that's, oh, that's a navigation matrix. So you can fly without stars to guide you." He notices the glazed look on the man's face. "Professor? Professor? Professor."

"I, er, ahem, right, that's enough talk. There's work to do. Now if you could leave, thank you."

"You all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine. And busy."

"Except that rocket's not going to fly, is it? This footprint mechanism thing, it's not working."

"We'll find a way."

"You're stuck on this planet. And you haven't told them, have you? That lot out there, they still think they're going to fly."

"Well, it's better to let them live in hope."

"Quite right, too. And I must say, Professor er, what was it?"

"Yana."

"Professor Yana. This new science is well beyond me, but all the same, a boost reversal circuit, in any time frame, must be a circuit which reverses the boost. So, I wonder, what would happen if I did this?"

He passes Kiam back to Martha and sonics the end of a cable and pulls.

"But how did you do that?"

"Oh, we've been chatting away, I forgot to tell you. I'm brilliant." He boast. He walks over and picks up the wire sniffing it. "Is this?"

"Yes, gluten extract. Binds the neutralino map together." Yana replies.

"That's food. You've built this system out of food and string and staples? Professor Yana, you're a genius."

"Says the man who made it work."

"Oh, it's easy coming in at the end, but you're stellar. This is, this is magnificent. And I don't often say that because, well, because of me."

"Well, even my title is an affectation. There hasn't been such a thing as a university for over a thousand years. I've spent my life going from one refugee ship to another."

"If you'd been born in a different time, you'd be revered. I mean it. Throughout the galaxies."

"Oh, those damned galaxies. They had to go and collapse. Some admiration would have been nice. Yes, just a little, just once."

"Well, you've got it now. But that footprint engine thing. You can't activate it from onboard. It's got to be from here. You're staying behind. You'd give your life so they could fly?"

"Oh, I think I'm a little too old for Utopia. Time I had some sleep."

"Professor, tell the Doctor we've found his blue box." A voice says over the intercom.

"Professor, it's a wild stab in the dark, but I may just have found you a way out."


	14. Utopia Part 3

The Doctor was rummaging around in the Tardis. He was happy to see it. He felt uneasy whenever he couldn't get to it. He had always hated to be away from it but it had grown worse since Kop Tor. He often wondered that if he had been able to get back to the Tardis, if things would have turned out differently. He shuddered at the thought of Rose, pregnant still being sucked into the void. He couldn't imagine life without Kiam. He hooked up a power cable and drug it out of the Tardis behind him.

"Extra power. Little bit of a cheat, but who's counting? Jack, you're in charge of the retro feeds." He notices Yana sitting down, holding his head. "You don't have to keep working. We can handle it."

"It's just a headache. It's just, just noise inside my head, Doctor. Constant noise inside my head."

"What sort of noise?"

"It's the sound of drums. More and more, as though it's getting closer."

"When did it start?"

"Oh, I've had it all my life. Every waking hour. Still, no rest for the wicked."

They hear a voice on the monitor "He's inside. And good luck to him."

"Captain, keep the dials below the red."

"Where is that room?" He asks.

"It's underneath the rocket. Fix the couplings and the footprint can work. But the entire chamber is flooded with stet radiation."

"Stet? Never heard of it." It worried him, how much he hadn't heard of here. He was fascinated but at the same time knew he needed to get out of this time as soon as possible. There was a reason Timelords didn't travel here.

"You wouldn't want to. But it's safe enough, if we can hold the radiation back from here."

An alarm sounds "It's rising. Naught point two. Keep it level!"

"Yes, sir."

"Radiation's rising!" he yells.

"We've lost control!" Jack yells back.

"The chamber's going to flood." Yana says.

"Jack, override the vents!"

He watches as Jack grabs two of the power cables. "We can jump start the override."

"Don't! It's going to flare!" He squints his eyes as electricity surges through Jack and sees Jack fall to the ground.

"I've got him." Martha says, Pushing Kiam into his arms and then rushing towards Jack.

"The chamber's flooded with radiation, yes?" He says watching Martha try to resuscitate Jack.

"Without the couplings, the engines will never start. It was all for nothing."

"Oh, I don't know. Martha, leave him." He moves closer to her.

"You've got to let me try."

He gently pulls her away. "Come on, come on, just listen to me. Now leave him alone. It strikes me, Professor, you've got a room which no man can enter without dying. Is that correct? Well..." He hears Jack gasp as he returns again to life. "I think I've got just the man."

"Was someone kissing me?"

-DW-

Him and Jack run into the room below the rocket. He had reluctantly left Kiam with Martha.

"Lieutenant, get on board the rocket! I promise you're going to fly."

"The chamber's flooded."

"Trust me. We've found a way of tripping the system. Run!" He turns to see Jack undressing. "What are you taking your clothes off for?"

"I'm going in." Jack says as if that statement answers everything.

"Well, by the looks of it, I'd say the stet radiation doesn't affect clothing, only flesh."

"Well, I look good though. How long have you known?"

"Ever since I ran away from you. Good luck." He watches Jack enter the Radiation chamber.

"We lost picture when that thing flared up. Doctor, are you there?" Martha ask over the intercom.

"Receiving, yeah. He's inside."

"And still alive?"

"Oh, yes." He leans against the door to watch Jack. "When did you first realize?"

"Earth, 1892. Got in a fight in Ellis Island. A man shot me through the heart. Then I woke up. Thought it was kind of strange. But then it never stopped. Fell off a cliff, trampled by horses, World War One, World War Two, poison, starvation, a stray javelin." He winces "In the end, I got the message. I'm the man who can never die. And all that time you knew."

"That's why I left you behind. It's not easy even just looking at you, Jack, because you're wrong."

"Thanks."

"You are. I can't help it. I'm a Time Lord. It's instinct. It's in my guts. You're a fixed point in time and space. You're a fact. That's never meant to happen. Even the Tardis reacted against you, tried to shake you off. Flew all the way to the end of the universe just to get rid of you."

"So what you're saying is that you're, er, prejudiced?"

"I never thought of it like that." He rubs his eyes.

"Shame on you."

"Yeah." He smiles at Jack. He had never been prejudice before, this was new.

"Last thing I remember, back when I was mortal, I was facing three Daleks. Death by extermination. And then I came back to life. What happened?"

"Rose."

"I thought you'd sent her back home."

"She came back. Opened the heart of the Tardis and absorbed the time vortex itself."

"What does that mean, exactly?"

"No one's ever mean to have that power. If a Time Lord did that, he'd become a god. A vengeful god. But she was human. Everything she did was so human. She brought you back to life but she couldn't control it. She brought you back forever. That's something, I suppose. The final act of the Time War was life."

"Do you think she could change me back?"

"I took the power out of her." He thinks of her. He's hearts aching." Taking a deep breath he continued. "She's gone, Jack. She's not just living on a parallel world, she's trapped there. The walls have closed."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah." He wants to say more but he didn't think he could continue without crying and the last thing he wanted was for Jack to see him cry.

"I went back to her estate, in the nineties, just once or twice. Watched her growing up. Never said hello. Timelines and all that."

"Do you want to die?" He asked Jack, changing the subject back.

"Oh, this one's a little stuck."

"Jack?"

"I thought I did. I don't know. But this lot. You see them out here surviving, and that's fantastic."

"You might be out there, somewhere."

"I could go meet myself."

"Well, the only man you're ever going to be happy with."

"This new regeneration, it's kind of cheeky."

"Hmm." He smiles.

Jack finally makes the final connection to his relief. "Now, get out of there. Come on!"

He picks up the telephone. "Lieutenant, everyone on board?"

"Ready and waiting."

"Stand by. Two minutes to ignition." He says.

"Ready to launch. Outer doors sealed."

The computer begins to count down as he rushes around the room flicking switches. He doesn't see Martha enter with Kiam until he hears he say. "Doctor, it's the Professor. He's got this watch. He's got a fob watch. It's the same as yours. Same writing on it, same everything."

"Don't be ridiculous." He says taking Kiam from her.

"I asked him. He said he's had it his whole life."

"So he's got the same watch." Jack says confused.

"Yeah, but it's not a watch. It's this chameleon thing."

"No, no, no, it's this, this thing, this device, it rewrites biology. Changes a Time Lord into a human."

"And it's the same watch."

"It can't be."

"That means he could be a Time Lord. You might not be the last adult one left."

"Jack, keep it level!" He says as an alarm sounds.

"But that's brilliant, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. Course it is. Depends which one. Brilliant, fantastic, yeah. But they died, the Time Lords. All of them. They died." I killed them all, he added silently to himself. He hugs Kiam tightly to himself as he tries not to think of the other children he lost.

"Not if he was human."

"What did he say, Martha? What did he say?" He says suddenly very angry.

"He looked at the watch like he could hardly see it. Like that perception filter thing."

"What about now? Can he see it now?"

"If he escaped the Time War then it's the perfect place to hide. The end of the universe."

"Think of what the Face of Boe said. His dying words. He said"

But he tunes her out as the computer finally reaches one. He turns the last switch and notices the letters on the computer. Y A N A. He hears the voice of Boe, saying You Are Not Alone. He grabs the phone and speaks into it quickly. "Lieutenant, have you done it? Did you get velocity? Have you done it? Lieutenant, have you done it?"

"Affirmative. We'll see you in Utopia."

"Good luck."

He starts to head back to laboratory and the control room door slams shut. Not letting go of Kiam he takes out his sonic screwdriver and him and Jack finally get the control room door open.

They run to the laboratory door "Professor! Professor, let me in! Let me in! Jack, get the door open now!" He says panicking. Kiam starts to cry, but he ignores him as he tries to get the door open. "Professor! Professor, where are you?! Professor! Professor, are you there? Please, I need to explain. Whatever you do, don't open that watch."

"They're coming!"

He turns to see the future kind coming down the corridor. "Professor! Open the door, please! I'm begging you, Professor. Please, listen to me. Just open the door, please."

They hear a gun shot and hears a crushing sound and then the door slides open. He watches Yana, carrying his hand, step into the tardis and shut the door. He runs at it pulling out his key, but when he puts the key in the lock it won't turn. "Let me in. Let me in!"

"I broke the lock. Give me a hand!"

"I'm begging you. Everything's changed! It's only the three of us! We're the only ones left! Just let me in!" He pleads. He sees a golden glow within the Tardis and knows that the Timelord within has regenerated.

"Doctor! You'd better think of something!"

He hears a voice from within the Tardis. "Now then, Doctor. Ooo, new voice. Hello, hello. Hello." He pauses "Anyway, why don't we stop and have a nice little chat while I tell you all my plans and you can work out a way to. Stop me, I don't think."

"I'm asking you really properly. Just stop. Just think!" He pleads with his old friend.

"Use my name." The voice taunts.

"Master. I'm sorry."

"Tough"

"I can't hold out much longer, Doctor!"

As the Tardis starts to dematerialize he locks the controls with the sonic screwdriver and then rushes to Jack. He grabs his arm with his left hand and tries to balance Kiam and the sonic with the right as he changes the Vortex manipulator.

"Oh, no you don't! End of the universe. Have fun. Bye, bye!" The Master taunts as the Tardis disappears.


	15. The sound of Drums

He lands them in an alleyway using the vortex manipulator.

"Oh, my head."

"Time travel without a capsule. That's a killer." He says and finally tries to comfort the screaming child in his arms. He hated to seem him so miserable and obviously in pain. He had tears staining his little cheeks and his face was red.

"Still, at least we made it. Earth, twenty first century by the looks of it. Talk about lucky." Jack says.

"That wasn't luck, that was me." He said.

"The moral is, if you're going to get stuck at the end of the universe, get stuck with an ex-Time Agent and his vortex manipulator."

"But this Master bloke, he's got the Tardis. He could be anywhere in time and space."

"No, he's here. Trust me." He says as the screaming finally stops. He looks down at the child who is holding on to his coat. He looked so small and fragile again. He thought back to the early days where he wouldn't have dared to explore that planet with Kiam so small still. He wondered if the three months not being able to travel much had made him reckless.

"Who is he, anyway? And that voice at the end, that wasn't the Professor."

"If the Master's a Time Lord, then he must have regenerated."

"What does that mean?"

"It means he's changed his face, voice, body, everything. New man."

"Then how are we going to find him?"

"I'll know him, the moment I see him. Time Lords always do."

"But hold on. If he could be anyone, we missed the election. But it can't be."

They turn to a public television screen as the new announcer says. "Mister Saxon has returned from the Palace and is greeting the crowd inside Saxon Headquarters."

"I said I knew that voice. When he spoke inside the Tardis. I've heard that voice hundreds of times. I've seen him. We all have. That was the voice of Harold Saxon."

That's him. He's Prime Minister. The Master is Prime Minister of Great Britain. The Master and his wife?" That last part really confused him. The Master had never taken a wife before let alone a human.

-DW-

They go to the only place that makes sense. Martha's house.

"What have you got? Computer, laptop, anything. Jack, who are you phoning? You can't tell anyone we're here." He sets Kiam down on the bed and covers him with his coat, within moments he is asleep.

"Just some friends of mine, but there's no reply."

Martha hands him her laptop. "Here you go. Any good?"

"I can show you the Saxon websites. He's been around for ages."

"That's so weird though. It's the day after the election. That's only four days after I met you."

"We went flying all around the universe while he was here all the time."

"You going to tell us who he is?"

"He's a Time Lord." He says simply.

"What about the rest of it? I mean, who'd call himself the Master?"

"That's all you need to know. Come on, show me Harold Saxon." He says impatiently.

"Former Minister of Defence. First came to prominence when he shot down the Racnoss on Christmas Eve. Nice work, by the way." Jack tells him pulling up webpages.

"Oh, thanks." He says distractedly still staring at the laptop.

"But he goes back years. He's famous. Everyone knows his story. Look. Cambridge University, Rugby blue. Won the Athletics thing. Wrote a novel, went into business, marriage, everything. He's got a whole life." Martha continued.

-DW-

Jack calls out from the kitchen. "But he's got the Tardis. Maybe the Master went back in time and has been living here for decades."

"No."

"Why not? Worked for me."

"When he was stealing the Tardis, the only thing I could do was fuse the coordinates. I locked them permanently. He can only travel between the year one hundred trillion and the last place the Tardis landed. Which is right here, right now."

"Yeah, but a little leeway?"

"Well, eighteen months, tops. The most he could have been here is eighteen months. So how has he managed all this? The Master was always sort of hypnotic, but this is on a massive scale." He was confused and needed time to think and talk this out.

"I was going to vote for him."

"Really?" He silently added that to his mental list of reasons she was beginning to worry him.

"Well, it was before I even met you. And I liked him."

"Me too."

"Why do you say that? What was his policy? What did he stand for?"

"I don't know. He always sounded good. Like you could trust him. Just nice. He spoke about. I can't really remember, but it was good. Just the sound of his voice."

He watches her start taping absent mindedly. "What's that?"

"What"

"That. That tapping, that rhythm. What are you doing?"

"I don't know. It's nothing. It's just, I don't know."

He hears the laptop and turns to see a pop up saying Saxon Broadcast All Channels. He grabs the remote and turns the telly on. "Our lord and master is speaking to his kingdom." He says sarcastically.

"Britain, Britain, Britain. What extraordinary times we've had. Just a few years ago, this world was so small. And then they came, out of the unknown, falling from the skies. You've seen it happen. Big Ben destroyed. A spaceship over London. All those ghosts and metal men. The Christmas star that came to kill. Time and time again, and the government told you nothing. Well, not me. Not Harold Saxon. Because my purpose. Here today is to tell you this. Citizens of Great Britain, I have been contacted. A message for humanity, from beyond the stars.  
FEMALE SPHERE: People of the Earth."

A sphere appears on the telly. "We come in peace. We bring great gifts. We bring technology and wisdom and protection. And all we ask in return is your friendship."

"Ooo, sweet. And this species has identified itself. They are called the Toclafane."

"What?" He couldn't believe it. Toclafanes were a children's story.

"And tomorrow morning, they will appear. Not in secret, but to all of you. Diplomatic relations with a new species Will begin. Tomorrow, we take our place in the universe. Every man, woman and child. Every teacher and chemist and lorry driver and farmer. Oh, I don't know, every medical student?"

He turns to look at Martha, then jumps and grabs the TV turning it around to see sticks of explosive strapped to the back. "Out." He scoops up Kiam as gently as he can and settles him in one arm. He grabs the laptop with the other hand and runs out into the street. He hears the house explode and turns to see fire pouring out of the windows.

"All right?"

"Fine, yeah, fine." Jack answers.

"Martha? What are you doing?" He says turning to check on Martha and seeing her holding her phone.

"He knows about me. What about my family?"

"Don't tell them anything."

"I'll do what I like." She tells him as he adds another note to his list.

He hears Martha screaming into the phone and then she turns to him. "We've got to help them."

"That's exactly what they want. It's a trap"

"I don't care." Check.

He climbs into the front of the car and holds Kiam on his lap and tries his best to buckle them in to keep him safe. He holds him tight as Martha drives like a mad woman in on coming traffic. "Corner!" He says frantically as he tells himself he is going to have a serious conversation with her later.

He watches as she uses her phone to try to call Tish but the line cuts off. Tish starts to scream and he hears Martha saying frantically still "What's happening? Tish! It's your fault. It's all your fault!"

They pull up outside of her parents house and seeing the police he tells her to reverse. Angry that she ingores him he tries again. "Get out, now!"

"Move it!" Jack yells as bullets hit the car. Finally the car reverses and the rear window shatters as they drive away.

"The only place we can go planet Earth. Great!"

"Careful!"

"Martha, listen to me. Do as I say. We've got to ditch this car. Pull over. Right now!"

They pull over under an underpass and he gets out of the car, checking to make sure Kiam is okay before turning his attention back to her. "Martha, come on!" He says unhappy to see she is on the phone again.

Hearing her start to yell into the phone. "Let them go, Saxon. Do you hear me! Let them go!"

He passes Kiam to Jack and then walks over and takes the phone from Martha.

"I'm here."

"Doctor."

"Master."

"I like it when you use my name."

"You chose it. Psychiatrist's field day."

"As you chose yours. The man who makes people better. How sanctimonious is that?"

"So, Prime Minister, then."

"I know. It's good, isn't it?"

"Who are those creatures? Because there's no such thing as the Toclafane. It's just a made up name, like the Bogeyman."

"Do you remember all those fairy tales about the Toclafane when we were kids back home. Where is it, Doctor?"

"Gone," He replies as a wave of guilt rushes over him.

"How can Gallifrey be gone?"

"It burnt." He says trying to be vague, but in his mind he saw the planet burning as though it were yesterday.

"And the Time Lords?"

"Dead. And the Daleks, more or less. What happened to you?"

"The Time Lords only resurrected me because they knew I'd be the perfect warrior for a Time War. I was there when the Dalek Emperor took control of the Cruciform. I saw it. I ran. I ran so far. Made myself human so they would never find me, because I was so scared."

"I know." He doesn't dare tell him, he was afraid too.

"All of them? But not you, which must mean"

"I was the only one who could end it. And I tried. I did. I tried everything."

"What did it feel like, though? Two almighty civilizations burning. Oh, tell me, how did that feel?"

"Stop it!" He was angry again.

"You must have been like God."

"I've been alone ever since. But not anymore. Don't you see? All we've got is each other." He didn't mention Kiam, hoping the Master hadn't discovered that the child was his.

"Are you asking me out on a date?"

"You could stop this right now. We could leave this planet. We can fight across the constellations, if that's what you want, but not on Earth."

"Too late."

"Why do you say that?"

"The drumming. Can't you hear it? I thought it would stop, but it never does. Never ever stops. Inside my head, the drumming, Doctor. The constant drumming."

"I could help you. Please, let me help."

"It's everywhere. Listen, listen, listen. Here come the drums. Here come the drums."

He hears a man nearby start taping the same rhythm What have you done? Tell me how you've done this. What are those creatures? Tell me!

"Ooo look. You're on TV."

"Stop it. Answer me."

"No, really. You're on telly. You and your little band, which, by the way, is ticking every demographic box. So, congratulations on that. Look, there you are."

He waves the others other and sees their picture on the Telly for being terrorist suspects. "They are known to be armed and extremely dangerous." he hears the news castors say.

"You're public enemies number one, two and three. Oh, and you can tell handsome Jack that I've sent his little gang off on a wild goose chase to the Himalayas, so he won't be getting any help from , go on, off you go. Why not start by turning to the right?"

"He can see us." He stops the camera with his screwdriver.

"Oh, you public menace. Better start running. Go on, run."

"He's got control of everything."

"What do we do?" Martha ask.

"We've got nowhere to go." Jack chimes in.

"Doctor, what do we do?" She ask again.

"Run, Doctor." The Master says over the phone. Run for your life!"

He takes kiam back from Jack, as he hangs up the phone. "We run." he tells them.


	16. The sound of Drums Part 2

They find an abandoned warehouse. After checking to make sure the area is safe he sets Kiam down to explore and play. He sends Martha out to get food while he and Jack stay behind to do more research in to Saxon. He doesn't realize how hungry he is until she returns with a bag of takeaway food.

"How was it?" Jack ask her.

"I don't think anyone saw me. Anything new?"

"I've got this tuned to government wavelengths so we can follow what Saxon's doing."

"Yeah, I meant about my family." Martha says, handing a bag of chips to the Doctor. Kiam comes running over to him and he makes sure one is cool and hands it to the little boy.

"It still says the Jones family taken in for questioning. Tell you what, though. No mention of Leo." He tells her.

"He's not as daft as he looks. I'm talking about my brother on the run. How did this happen?"

"Nice chips." Jack says handing one to Kiam as well. He smiles as he watches his son.

"Actually, they're not bad." He says finally avoiding Martha's question as well.

"So, Doctor, who is he? How come the ancient society of Time Lords created a psychopath? "

"And what is he to you? Like a colleague or..."

"A friend, at first."

"I thought you were going to say he was your secret brother or something."

He pauses chip midway to his mouth. "You've been watching too much TV." He hands the chip down to Kiam instead.

"But all the legends of Gallifrey made it sound so perfect."

"Well, perfect to look at, maybe. And it was. It was beautiful. They used to call it the Shining World of the Seven Systems. And on the Continent of Wild Endeavour, in the Mountains of Solace and Solitude, there stood the Citadel of the Time Lords, the oldest and most mighty race in the universe, looking down on the galaxies below. Sworn never to interfere, only to watch. Children of Gallifrey, taken from their families age of eight to enter the Academy. And some say that's when it all began. When he was a child. That's when the Master saw eternity. As a novice, he was taken for initiation. He stood in front of the Untempered Schism. It's a gap in the fabric of reality through which could be seen the whole of the vortex. You stand there, eight years old, staring at the raw power of time and space, just a child. Some would be inspired, some would run away, and some would go mad. Brr. I don't know." He pops a chip in his mouth.

"What about you?"

"Oh, the ones that ran away, I never stopped." He replies as Jack's bracelet beeps.

"Encrypted channel with files attached. Don't recognize it."

"Patch it through to the laptop."

"Since we're telling stories, there's something I haven't told you."

He sees the Torchwood logo pop up and hatred runs through him. "You work for Torchwood."

"I swear to you, it's different. It's changed. There's only half a dozen of us now."

"Everything Torchwood did, and you're part of it? If it hadn't been for them Rose would still be here and I wouldn't be a single father."

"The old regime was destroyed at Canary Wharf. I rebuilt it, I changed it, and when I did that, I did it for you in your honor."

Still not trusting Jack, he leans over and hits play.

"If I haven't returned to my desk by twenty two hundred, this file will be emailed to Torchwood. Which means if you're watching this, then I'm. Anyway, the Saxon files are attached. But take a look at the Archangel document. That's when it all started. When Harry Saxon became Minister in charge of launching the Archangel Network."

"What's the Archangel Network?"

"It's a mobile phone network. Because look, it's gone worldwide. They've got fifteen satellites in orbit. Even the other networks, they're all carried by Archangel." Jack tells him.

"It's in the phones! Oh, I said he was a hypnotist. Wait, wait, wait. Hold on." He takes Matha's phone from her and sonics it. It starts beeping. "There it is. That rhythm, it's everywhere, ticking away in the subconscious."

"What is it, mind control?"

"No, no, no, no, no. It's subtler than that. Any stronger and people would question it. But contained in that rhythm, in layers of code, Vote Saxon. Believe in me. Whispering to the world. Oh, yes! That's how he hid himself from me, because I should have sensed there was another Time Lord on Earth. I should have known way back. The signal cancelled him out."

"Any way you can stop it?"

"Not from down here. But now we know how he's doing it."

"And we can fight back."

"Oh, yes! But first things first." He turns to look at Jack. "Do you have someone you trust who is still close by."

"I think I might know someone, why?"

"I need to hide Kiam. If the Master gets him, he could use him against me. Or worse take him and raise him to do terrible things. I need to know he is safe before we continue."

"Leave it to me." Jack pulls out his phone and moving away from them starts talking in a low voice.

He walks over to Kiam and scoops him up. "I made a promise, that I would always keep you safe. Now I know you are not old enough to understand but you have to go away for just a little while." Tears fill his eyes. "Remember Daddy loves you Kiam."

Jack comes back over and holds out his arms for Kiam. He kisses him on the head and hugs him tightly before handing him over. "He'll be safe?"

"I promise" Jack says.

As he watches the two exit the warehouse he feels as though both his hearts are ripped in two. He feels Martha touch his arm and pulls away from her. He takes her phone and laptop and heads to the center of the warehouse again to work in silence.

After about an hour he hears the Warehouse door open again and Jack comes in empty handed and his hearts break all over again.


	17. Last of the Timelords

With Kiam safe, he explained to them his plan. They used the perception field from the Tardis to watch the Master and get aboard the Valient. But the Master was able to see through it from the beginning. Using a laser screwdriver the Master turns him into an old man.

Thinking quickly he sent Martha back to the Earth while him and Jack stayed aboard. Jack he knew was chained up somewhere while he stayed in the conference room where it all started. A year had almost passed and he lay in the tent he now called home. He spent most of his nights connecting psychically with the Archangel Network, but his days were filled with the thoughts of Kiam.

He wondered where Jack had taken him. If he was loved, healthy. If he had started to talk yet. His second birthday had passed and it had nearly killed him to think that neither one of them had been there this year for it. He wanted to know what he looked like. He imagined a little boy with his messy hair and with Roses eyes.

He was lonely and he missed Rose more than ever, he wondered if she was able to make a life in Pete's world. He wanted so badly for her to be happy even if it wasn't with him. He pictured her as he had last seen her, when she was happy, but even seeing her smile, made him sad. Not for the first time he felt as though he were truly alone.

-DW-

Sitting in the wheelchair he holds three fingers against his thigh, hoping Martha's mom, Francine, sees them. As the clock turns to 2:58 pm. He sees the Master enter the Flight Deck.

"Time for my massage. Who shall I have today? Tanya. Come on, sweetheart. Lucy, have you met Tanya? She's gorgeous. Tanya, when we go to the stars, I'm going to take you to the Catriga Nova. Whirlpools of gold. You two should get to know each other. That might be fun."

"Condition red." the computer says.

"What the hell?"

"Repeat, condition red."

He takes the Master's jacket from Francine and takes the laser screwdriver from the pocket and points it at the Master.

"Oh, I see."

"I told you. I have one thing to say." He tries to get the screwdriver to work but it won't respond to him.

"Isomorphic controls."

The screwdriver is ripped out of his hands and than he is punched in face.

"Which means they only work for me. Like this." The master sends a laser beam at Francine.

"Say sorry!"

"Sorry. Sorry. Sorry." Francine cries.

"Didn't you learn anything from the blessed Saint Martha? Siding with the Doctor is a very dangerous thing to do. Take them away." The Master turns back to him. "Oh, do you know, I remember the days when the Doctor, oh, that famous Doctor, was waging a Time War, battling Sea Devils and Axons. He sealed the rift at the Medusa Cascade single handed. And look at him now. Stealing screwdrivers. How did he ever come to this? Oh yeah, me."

"I just need you to listen." he says trying again.

"No, it's my turn. Revenge! Best served hot. And this time, it's a message for Miss Jones."

"My people. Salutations on this, the eve of war. Lovely woman. But I know there's all sorts of whispers down there. Stories of a child, walking the Earth, giving you hope. But I ask you how much hope has this man got? Say hello, Gandalf. Except he's not that old, but he's an alien with a much greater lifespan than you stunted little apes. But what if it showed?

The Master walks over to him " What if I suspend your capacity to regenerate? All nine hundred years of your life, Doctor. What if we could see them?"

He feels his body twisting and being pulled in all directions. He screams in pain as he feels himself and older and older. Down you go, Doctor. Down, down, down the years.

"Doctor."

He crawls out of his clothes and stares up at the Master. The Master lifts him up and places him in a bird cage.

"Tomorrow, they launch. We're opening up a rift in the Braccatolian space. They won't see us coming. It kind of scary.

"Then stop." He replied.

"Once the Empire is established, and there's a new Gallifrey in the heavens, maybe then it stops. The drumming. The never ending drumbeat. Ever since I was a child. I looked into the vortex. That's when it chose me. The drumming, the call to war. Can't you hear it? Listen, it's there now. Right now. Tell me you can hear it, Doctor. Tell me."

"It's only you." He taunted the Master.

"Good."

-DW-

The Master had told him that he had a surprise for him. That had been a couple of hours ago. Not having much choice he waited and was not surprised to see the Master return and then guards bring in Martha. Another set of Guards brought in her family and than finally Jack.

"Your teleport device, in case you thought I'd forgotten." Martha threw the vortex manipulator at the Master. "And now, kneel. Down below, the fleet is ready to launch. Two hundred thousand ships set to burn across the universe. Are we ready? Three minutes to align the black hole converters. Counting down. I never could resist a ticking clock. My children, are you ready?" The Master looks happy. "At zero, to mark this day, the child Martha Jones, will die. My first blood. Any last words? No? Such a disappointment, this one. Days of old, Doctor, you had companions who could absorb the time vortex. This one's useless. Bow your head. And so it falls to me, as Master of all, to establish from this day, a new order of Time Lords. From this day forward "

Martha laughed.

"What. What's so funny?"

"A gun in four parts."

"Yes, and I destroyed it." The Master Replies hotly.

"A gun in four parts scattered across the world? I mean, come on, did you really believe that?"

"As if I would ask her to kill." He says.

"Oh well, it doesn't matter. I've got her exactly where I want her."

"But I knew what Professor Docherty would do. The Resistance knew about her son. I told her about the gun, so she'd get me here at the right time."

"Oh, but you're still going to die."

"Don't you want to know what I was doing, travelling the world?"

"Tell me."

"I told a story, that's all. No weapons, just words. I did just what the Doctor said. I went across the continents all on my own. And everywhere I went, I found the people, and I told them my story. I told them about the Doctor and I told them to pass it on, to spread the word so that everyone would know about the Doctor."

"Faith and hope? Is that all?" The Master sounded disgusted.

"No, because I gave them an instruction, just as the Doctor said. I told them that if everyone thinks of one word, at one specific time"

"Nothing will happen. Is that your weapon? Prayer?"

"Right across the world, in word, just one thought at one moment but with fifteen satellites."

"The Archangel Network." Jack says.

"A telepathic field binding the whole human race together, with all of them, every single person on Earth, thinking the same thing at the same time. And that word is Doctor."

He feels himself begin to grow as the numbers hit zero. He thinks about his previous body and begins to grow younger. "I've had a whole year to tune myself into the psychic network and integrate with its matrices. The one thing you can't do. Stop them thinking. Tell me the human race is degenerate now, when they can do this."

"No!" The laser screwdriver fires at him but the energy field protects him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. And you know what happens now."

"No! No! No! No!" The Master Screams.

"You wouldn't listen. Because you know what I'm going to say."

"No."

He puts his arms around the master who is curled into a ball. "I forgive you."

"My children."

"Captain, the paradox machine!" He yells at Jack.

He sees the Master activating the Vortex manipulator and grabs him. With a flash they are down in the Quarry. The master stands up and looks at him. "Now it ends, Doctor. Now it ends."

"We've got control of the Valiant. You can't launch."He tells the Master.

"Oh, but I've got this. Black hole converter inside every ship. If I can't have this world, Doctor, then neither can you. We shall stand upon this Earth together, as it burns."

"Weapon after weapon after weapon. All you do is talk and talk and talk. But over all these years and all these disasters, I've always had the greatest secret of them all. I know you." He says. "Explode those ships, you kill yourself. That's the one thing you can never do. Give that to me." He takes the trigger from the Doctor and than tries to take the Vortex manipulator. He finds himself back on the Valiant.

"Everyone get down! Time is reversing!" He calls out. "The paradox is broken. We've reverted back, one year and one day. Two minutes past eight in the morning. Just after the President was killed, but just before the spheres arrived. Everything back to normal. Planet Earth restored. None of it happened. The rockets, the terror. It never was."

"What about the spheres?" Martha asks him.

"Trapped at the end of the universe."

"But I can remember it." Francine says looking scared.

"We're at the eye of the storm. The only ones who'll ever know."

"Whoa, big fella! You don't want to miss the party. Cuffs. So, what do we do with this one?" Jack ask the Doctor.

"We execute him." Tish responds.

"No, that's not the solution." He says.

He sees Francine point a gun at the Master. "Oh, I think so. Because all those things, they still happened because of him. I saw them."

"Francine, you're better than him." He gently lowers the gun and then gives her a hug.

"You still haven't answered the question. What happens to me?" The Master Demands.

"You're my responsibility from now on."

"Yeah, but you can't trust him."

"No. The only safe place for him is the Tardis."

"You mean you're just going to keep me?"

"Mmm. If that's what I have to do. It's time to change. Maybe I've been wandering for too long. Maybe it is time I settle down."

A gunshot sounds and he grabs hold of the Master as blood stats to spread from the Master's wound.

"There you go. I've got you. I've got you."

"Always the women."

"I didn't see her." He tells the Master.

"Dying in your arms. Happy now?"

"You're not dying. Don't be stupid. It's only a bullet. Just regenerate."

"No."

"One little bullet. Come on." He knew he could easily like through a bullet wound.

"I guess you don't know me so well. I refuse."

"Regenerate. Just regenerate. Please. Please! Just regenerate. Come on."

"And spend the rest of my life imprisoned with you? "

"You've got to. Come on. It can't end like this. You and me, all the things we've done. Axons. Remember the Axons? And the Daleks. We're only two of three that is left. There's no one else. Regenerate!"

"How about that. I win. Will it stop, Doctor? The drumming. Will it stop?" The Master says and than dies in His arms. He holds the Master tightly to him crying for his lost friend and the last connection he had to Gallifrey.

He burns the Master's body because it is tradition among his people. He wonders briefly if someone would be there to burn his body when he passed away. He turned away from the fire and headed back his Tardis.

-DW-

"Time was, every single one of these people knew your name. Now they've all forgotten you."

"Good." His face lights up as he sees Jack coming across the square with Kiam in his arms. Jack sets the little boy down and he leans down and hold out his arms, watching him run to him. He scoops him up and hugs him tightly. Finally he examines him and is happy to see that Kiam is only a few days older than when he last saw him.

"Back to work." Jack says interrupting his thoughts.

"I really don't mind, though. Come with me." He tells Jack.

"I had plenty of time to think that past year, the year that never was, and I kept thinking about that team of mine. Like you said, Doctor, responsibility."

"Defending the Earth. Can't argue with that." He grabs Jack's hand and sonics the vortex manipulator.

"Hey, I need that."

"I can't have you walking around with a time travelling teleport. You could go anywhere, twice. The second time to apologize."

"And what about me? Can you fix that? Will I ever be able to die?"

"Nothing I can do. You're an impossible thing, Jack."

"Been called that before. Sir. Ma'am. But I keep wondering. What about aging? Because I can't die but I keep getting older. The odd little grey hair, you know? What happens if I live for a million years?"

"I really don't know." He says honestly.

"Okay, vanity. Sorry. Yeah, can't help it. Used to be a poster boy when I was a kid living on the Boeshane Peninsula. Tiny little place. I was the first one ever to be signed up for the Time Agency. They were so proud of me. The Face of Boe, they called me. Hmm. I'll see you."

"No. Definitely not. No. No." He thinks of Jack as the Face of Boe and begins to laugh.

-DW-

He waits for Martha to enter the Tardis and then begins to press buttons. "Right then, off we go. The open road. There is a burst of starfire right now over the coast of Meta Sigmafolio. Oh, the sky is like oil on water. Fancy a look? Or back in time. We could, I don't know, Charles the Second? Henry the Eighth. I know. What about Agatha Christie? I'd love to meet Agatha Christie. I bet she's brilliant."

"I just can't."

"Yeah." He had know she was going to leave him. He just had hoped it wouldn't be so soon.

"Spent all these years training to be a doctor. Now I've got people to look after. They saw half the planet slaughtered and they're devastated. I can't leave them."

"Of course not. Thank you. Martha Jones, you saved the world."

"Yes, I did. I spent a lot of time with you thinking I was second best, but you know what? I am good. You going to be all right?"

"Always. Yeah."

"Right then. Bye, Because the thing is, it's like my friend Vicky. She lived with this bloke, student housing, there were five of them all packed in, and this bloke was called Sean. And she loved him. She did. She completely adored him. Spent all day long talking about him."

"Is this going anywhere?" He had a feeling he knew where.

"Yes. Because he never looked at her twice. I mean, he liked her, but that was it. And she wasted years pining after him. Years of her life. Because while he was around, she never looked at anyone else. And I told her, I always said to her, time and time again, I said, get out. So this is me, getting out." She throws her phone at him. "Keep that, because I'm not having you disappear. If that rings, when that rings, you'd better come running. Got it?"

"Got it."

"I'll see you again, mister and you take good care of that baby you hear me."

"Don't worry. I will." The door closes and he looks at Kiam. "Where to now."


	18. A break

It had been just the two of them traveling for the last month, and as much as he loved his son, he had to admit he was lonely. Having only a 15 month old as company was becoming wearisome and after spending another night comforting a fussy teething toddler. He decided he need a break.

He landed the Tardis in Cardiff, on the rift, and smiled when he saw Captain Jack, on the screen, coming out to meet him.

Leaving Kiam in the playpen, he went out and stood in front of the Tardis, keeping the door open behind him.

"Captain," He said happily.

"Doctor."

He rubbed his neck and looked at the building. "Would you mind watching Kiam for me?" He asked.

"Anything wrong?"

"No, Nothing, Forget I asked." He starts to back up into the Tardis.

"I get it," Jack laughs. "You need a break." He looks at Jack relieved that he understood.

"It's just been us since Martha left a month ago." He heads back inside to the control room and sees a look of concern cross Jack's face.

His once empty control room was a mess. There were toys, kids books and a few bottles littered all over it. A baby blanket was draped next to his coat. Next to the wall, strapped down tightly was a playpen, holding his son.. He had several of his books stacked on the Pilot seat and a cup of tea, that was long forgotten sat on the console. Hanging on the back of the chair was a diaper bag Martha had purchased him.

"Take a few days," Jack says heading over to Kiam. "My god, it looks like you cloned yourself, except for the eyes, he has Rose's eyes."

Jack scoops him up and heads back over to the Doctor and leans Kiam over to him. "Tell Daddy goodbye." Kiam smiles and waves.

"Still doesn't talk?"

"Nothing to be worried about." Though he was worried. "It's normal for premature human babies. He should start talking soon."

He kissed Kiam and handed Jack the diaper bag. He watched them leave and then looked around again. He sighed and began to clean.

-Dw-

It had taken a while but the control room was clean again. The only immediate sign when you walked in was the playpen. Everything else had been taken to its rightful place and he was enjoying a moment of peace. He was under the controls working on it when he heard a key in the Tardis door and then the door open. He shoots up and hits his head and falls back down. "Ow," He moans.

He hears laughter and eases out from under the controls and sits up a little slower. He sees Captain Jack standing there and feels his blood go even colder.

"Something wrong, Captain," He ask, thinking of everything that could be wrong with Kiam and he could think of quite a bit.

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

"Kiam?"

"He's fine. Ianto has him."

He relaxes a little but not completely. "Ianto"

"My partner. Now back to my question, you have been sitting out here for the last six hours. Something wrong."

"No, I cleaned up and have just been fixing her."

"Don't you have anything fun you can do." Jack looked exasperated at him.

"This is fun" He replies.

"Come on," Jack grabs his arm and drags him off of the Tardis.

-DW-

He was sitting in a booth at a local club. He had all ready tried to leave twice but Jack had insisted he stay. He didn't know how watching Jack dance with all the men and women in the club was better then fixing the Tardis. But still the Captain was trying to help. He looks down at his napkin which he has covered with writing. He was trying to figure out how to reconfigure the Tardis controls to boost the speed through the Time Vortex. He didn't think it was possible but it passed the time until Jack let him leave.

A glass slams down on the napkin covering his work. He looks up and sees Jack standing there holding a second glass. "Drink"

"No thanks," He says moving it.

"That wasn't a question."

He picks it up and takes a sip. Tasting straight whiskey, he spits it back in the glass and makes a face. Jack laughs at him.

"Come on Doctor loosen up. Drink it. ."

"The last time I loosened up, Seven month's later Kiam was born"

Jack sits down across from him in the booth and leans against the wall, putting his feet up.

"Still miss her, huh."

"Everyday."

"Wanna talk about it." He shakes his head at first and then changes his mind. He stands up and leaves the club with Jack beside him. They walk through Cardiff and he tells Jack everything, including how he would sit at the bottom of the pool. Jack doesn't say anything and just listens to him. He finds himself back at the Tardis and sits outside of it leaning against the cool wood.

Jack sits with him and they sit outside until the sun starts to rise, neither one saying anything. When the others arrive to work later that morning, he collects Kiam from Ianto. He turns to Jack.

"Thank you."

"Anytime." he watches as Jack takes Ianto's hand and they head off.

"Come on Breakfast." He tells Kiam.

-DW-

Later that day, he chased Kiam around the Tardis control room, listening to the baby squeal with laughter. He laughed right along with him, feeling better. He catches Kiam and throws him in the air, watching the happiness on his face. He catches him one last time and then heads to the controls. He sets the Tardis in motion and starts talking away to Kiam. "New, New York, So nice they named it fifteen times."


	19. Donna

Carrying Kiam he walked up to a glass fronted building. He goes around to the side to the the fire escape he saw when he had visited the building earlier. He had been watching the building for a couple of days now and had decided he needed to get inside to learn more. He had tried to leave Kiam with Jack again, but couldn't find him, not wanting to wait any longer he just decided to bring him.

He sonics the fire escape and enters the building. Heading down the corridor he sees a guard flashes his psychic paper at him.

"John Smith, Health and Safety." He says.

"With a child" The guard ask suspiciously.

"I found him wandering and was going to take him upstairs to see if he belongs to anyone."

"I'll take him." The guard says.

"That's okay. I am heading that way anyways. I don't mind." He hurries off.

Entering a call center he walks over to a young woman and sits down in the chair. "We deliver within three working days. "She says into the phone.

"John Smith, Health and Safety. Don't mind me." he says flashing the psychic paper at her. She eyes Kiam. "It's bring your son to work day." He really needed to find someone to watch Kiam for awhile. He missed Martha. It had now been two months since she had left.

The woman turned her full attention back to the customer on the phone. "The box comes with 21 days worth of pills, a full information pack, and our special free gift, an Adipose Industries pendant." She hands him a gold plated Adpiose pill. "It's made of eighteen carat gold, and it's yours for free."

"I'll just need to keep this for testing. And I just need a list of your customers. Could you print it off?" he asks to her.

"I suppose so." she says.

"Brilliant." He sits down. "Has it got paper?"

"Yeah, Jimbo keeps it stocked."

"Anyway, if you could print that off. Thanks." He walks over to the printer and not finding his papers returns to her. She prints them again and he grabs them and hurries out of the building.

He returns to the Tardis and picks up Martha's cell phone.  
"Jack, How would you like to babysit again"

-DW-

Night falls and pulling out the pendant he starts to examine it with a magnifying glass.

"Oh, fascinating. Seems to be a bio-flip digital stitch, specifically for," cutting off he realizes he is alone with Kiam.

-DW-

He drops Kiam off with Jack and then parks the Tardis outside of the glass building. He heads in again through the fire exit and heads to a storage room he saw yesterday. He pulls out his sonic and looks around before opening the door. He sonics the small room and notices an usual reading in the back. He removes the panel and finds an intricate system. After several hours of trying to get into it. He gives up and settles down on the floor. He closes his eyes and surprising himself falls asleep.

-DW-

After every one leaves he stands up and stretches. He feels stiff after sleeping sitting up in the small cabinet. He opens the door and leaves his hiding place. He heads up the stairs to the roof and climbs into the window cleaner's cradle. He looks through the window and then ducks when people enter the room

Hearing muffled voices he pulls out his stethoscope to listen to the conversation. Still not able to hear he looks the window and that's when he spots a familiar red head in the opposite window.

"Donna?" He mouths.

"Doctor? Doctor!" She mouths back

"But what? What? What?" He mouths completely confused.

"Oh my god!" She mouths happily.

"But how?" He mouths

"It's me!" She mouths and he figures she can't read mouths well so he mouths back "Yes, I can see that." adding hand gestures.

"Oh, this is brilliant." She mouths.

"What the hell are you doing there?" He mouths surprised.

"I was looking for you." She gestures as she mouths the words.

"What for?" He mouths

"I read it on the internet. Weird. Crept along. Heard them talking. Hid. You." She is mouthing it and her gestures are concerning him more and more. He starts to wonder if she is having a seizure or possibly is drunk. He suddenly realizes the voices have stopped and Mrs. Foster is staring at him.

"Are we interrupting you?"

"Run!" he says silently.

"Get her." He sonics the office door closed.

"And him." He sends the cradle back to the roof and runs across it and starts to head down the stairs. He meets up with Donna on them and hugs her.

"Oh, my God. I don't believe it. You've even got the same suit! Don't you ever change? "

"Yeah, thanks, Donna. Not right now." He sees the guards and starts to run up the stairs again with her. "Just like old times!"

"Because I thought, how do you find the Doctor? And then I just thought, look for trouble and then he'll turn up." He sonics the door closed. "So I looked everywhere. You name it. UFOs, sightings, crop circles, sea monsters. I looked, I found them all. Like that stuff about the bees disappearing, I thought, I bet he's connected. Because the thing is, Doctor, I believe it all now. You opened my eyes. All those amazing things out there, I believe them all."

"What do you mean, the bees are disappearing?" He asks confused.

"I don't know. That's what it says on the internet. Well, on the same site, there was all these conspiracy theories about Adipose Industries and I thought, let's take a look."

He heads over to the window cleaners cradle again and sonics the controls. "In you get." he tells Donna.

"What, in that thing?"

"Yes, in that thing." What else thing did she expect.

"But if we go down in that, they'll just call us back up again."

"Blimey, Kiam puts up less of a fuss." She looks confused at him.  
"I've locked the controls with a sonic cage. I'm the only one that can control it. Not unless she's got a sonic device of her own, which is very unlikely."

He lowers the cradle and when it comes to a stop he looks up and sees Mrs. Foster looking down at him. "Hold on. Hold on. We can get in through the window." He tries to use the sonic to get throw the glass and is upset he finds it Deadlocked. "Can't get it open."

"Well, smash it then!" He watches as she picks up a spanner and starts hitting the bomb proof, deadlocked window. Drunk, he decides. "She's cutting the Cable." Donna calls out. With that the cable snaps and he watches in horror as she falls out and grabs the cable dangling from the end.

"Donna. Hold on!"

He looks up and sees Mrs Foster start to cut the remaining cable. He aims the sonic and blast the pen out of her hand, catching it as it falls. He puts it between his teeth and climbs to another window.

"I'm going to fall! This is all your fault. I should've stayed at home." He slides the window open and climbs inside.

"I won't be a minute" he calls down to her.

He runs down the stairs to Mrs. Foster's office and unlocks the window and grabs Donna's legs and tries to pull her into the window.

"Get off!"

"I've got you. I've got you. Stop kicking!"

He finally manages to pull her inside. "I was right. It's always like this with you, innit?"

"Oh, yes! And off we go." He starts to run again. He takes Donna down to the closet and throws of the ladder and mops.

"Well, that's one solution. Hide in a cupboard. I like it." She says.

He goes over to the open panel. "I've been hacking into this thing all day, because the matron's got a computer core running through the center of the building. Triple deadlocked. But now I've got this," He holds up the sonic pen. "I can get into it." He gets to work on it.

"You look older." Donna says interrupting the silence.

"Thanks."

"Still on your own?"

"Well, no. I had this friend. Martha she was called. Martha Jones. She was brilliant. And I destroyed half her life. But she's fine, she's good. She's gone."

"What about Rose?"

"Still lost. I thought you were going to travel the world?" He says trying to turn the subject away from him.

"Easier said then done. It's like I had that one day with you, and I was going to change. I was going to do so much. Then I woke up the next morning, same old life. I must have been mad turning down that offer."

"What offer?"

"To come with you."

"Come with me?" He repeats back

"Oh yes, please."

"Right." He was confused again.

"She's started the program. So far they're just losing weight, but the Matron's gone up to emergency pathogenesis. They will convert skeletons, organs, everything. A million people are going to die. Got to cancel the signal." He takes the pendant apart and attaches it to the inducer. "This contains a primary signal. If I can switch it off, the fat goes back to being just fat."

"Inducer increasing." The computer announces.

"No, no, no, no, no. She's doubled it. I need. Haven't got time. It's too far. I can't override it. They're all gonna die!"

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Sorry, Donna, this is way beyond you. I need a second capsule to boost the override, but I've only got the one. I can't save them" He sees Donna hold up a pendant and grabs it, pulling it apart he plugs it in and the inducer shuts down.

There is a loud noise in the sky. "Nursery ship." He says as the computer lights up again.

"Hadn't we better go and stop them?"

"Hang on. Instructions from the Adiposian First Family." He listens. " She's wired up the tower block to convert it into a levitation post. Ooo. Oh. We're not the ones in trouble now. She is!"

-DW-

He is standing on the roof with Donna watching the Adipose being beamed aboard the nursery ship. He is looking for Mrs. Foster.

"What you going to do then? Blow them up?" Donna ask.

"They're just children. They can't help where they come from."

"Oh, that makes a change from last time. That Martha must've done you good."

"She did, yeah. Yeah. She did. She fancied me." He admits.

"Mad Martha, that one. Blind Martha. Charity Martha."

"Actually, as a diet plan, it sort of works." He spots Mrs. Foster. "There she is! Mrs. Foster, listen to me."

"Oh, I don't think so, Doctor. And if I never see you again, it'll be too soon."

"Oh, why does no one ever listen. I'm trying to help. Just get across to the roof. Can you shift the levitation beam? I saw the Adiposian instructions. They know it's a crime, breeding on Earth. So what's the one thing they want to get rid of? Their accomplice."

"I'm far more than that. I'm nanny to all these children."

"Exactly! Mum and Dad have got the kids now. They don't need the nanny anymore." He sees her realize he is right as the beam turns off and she falls to the ground. Donna hides her face in his coat but he stands stone faced as he watches her hit the ground.

-DW-

They walk to the Tardis.

"That's my car! That is like destiny. And I've been ready for this." She opens the trunk to reveal suitcases. "I packed ages ago" She starts rambling and handing him boxes. "You're not saying much."

"No, it's just. It's a funny old life, in the Tardis."

"You don't want me." She says concerned.

"I'm not saying that."

"But you asked me. Would you rather be on your own?"

"I'm not," he thinks of Kiam. "No. Actually, no. But the last time, with Martha, like I said, it, it got complicated. And that was all my fault. I just want a mate."

"You just want to mate?" He watches her hide behind the Tardis door.

"I just want a mate"

"You're not mating with me, sunshine!"

"A mate. I want a mate. I'm all ready a father."

"Well, just as well, because I'm not having any of that nonsense. I mean, you're just a long streak of nothing. You know, alien nothing. and what do you mean you're all ready a father. I am not going to be a mother to any of your alien babies"

"There we are, then. Okay."

"I can come?"

"Yeah. Course you can, yeah. I'd love it."

"Off we go, then." Donna says happily as he brings her last box inside and closes the door.

"Here it is. The Tardis. It's bigger on the inside than it is on the outside."

"Oh, I know that bit. Although frankly, you could turn the heating up." He ignores her. "First stop Cardiff"

"Cardiff, all of space and time and you want to go to Cardiff."

"I told you Donna, I'm a father." He lands the Tardis on the riff. "Wait here a moment." He leaves and comes back a few minutes later with Kiam. "Donna meet my son, Kiam"

"You travel with a baby?"

"He has no one else." He walks over to the controls and starts flipping switches.

"So, whole wide universe, where do you want to go?" He ask Donna.


	20. Regrets

_"Could we be any more trapped?" Donna asked him. "Little bit hot."_

_"See? The energy converter takes the lava, uses the power to create a fusion matrix, which welds Pyrovile to human. Now it's complete, they can convert millions." He explained to her._

_"But can't you change it with these controls?"_

_"Of course I can, but don't you see? That's why the soothsayers can't see the volcano. There is no volcano. Vesuvius is never going to erupt. The Pyrovile are stealing all its power. They're going to use it to take over the world."_

_"But you can change it back?"_

_"I can invert the system, set off the volcano, and blow them up, yes. But, that's the choice, Donna. It's Pompeii or the world."_

_"Oh, my God."_

_"If Pompeii is destroyed then it's not just history, it's me. I make it happen."_

_"Doctor, the Pyrovile are made of rocks. Maybe they can't be blown up."_

_"Vesuvius explodes with the force of twenty four nuclear bombs. Nothing can survive it. Certainly not us."_

_He looks at the baby in the pod next to him. He had failed him. He picks Kiam and snuggles him to his chest and kisses his head. Kiam grins up and him trusting him. Tears fill his eyes and roll down his cheeks. He had watched his son struggle to breath and to live but the tiny body had held onto life. Now he had brought him to his death. _

_"Push this lever and it's over. Twenty thousand people"_

_Shaking he puts his hand on the stone lever. He feels Donna put her hands over his and he looks at her. Her eyes are filled with tears as well. They press down the lever._

-DW-

He jerks awake, as a small scream erupts from his lips. He quickly bites the back of his hand and looks at the sleeping figures next to him. Donna is laying on her side with spread out next to her. Both are still asleep.

He stands up and goes into his bathroom and splashes water on his face. He turns off the water and stares at himself in the mirror. He sees hatred in his eyes as he looks at himself. He remembers the relief he felt that they had been in an escape pod. But still he had almost killed his own child, what kind of father was he?

He had held Kiam tightly as he ran with Donna back to the Tardis and had gone in as she begged him to save somebody, but the only people he was willing to save was them. She had wanted to save them all and even while rushing to the Tardis, she had tried to send people to safety. While he had yelled at her to leave them.

He goes to the Tardis pool and sits at the bottom and closes his eyes.

_"You can't just leave them!" Donna yelled at him. _

_"Don't you think I've done enough? History's back in place and everyone dies."_

_"You've got to go back. Doctor, I am telling you, take this thing back. It's not fair."_

_"No, it's not." He said sadly. _

_"But your own planet. It burned." _

_"That's just it. Don't you see, Donna? Can't you understand? If I could go back and save them, then I would. But I can't. I can never go back. I can't. I just can't, I can't." _

_"Just someone. Please. Not the whole town. Just save someone." She had pleaded so he gave in and saved one family._

His lungs burn and his hearts are pounding in his ears. If he just sits here a little bit longer it will be over. He can no longer endanger her or Kiam.

_"It's never forgotten, Caecilius. Oh, time will pass, men'll move on, and stories will fade. But one day, Pompeii will be found again. In thousands of years. And everyone will remember you."_

_"What about you, Evelina? Can you see anything?"_

_"The visions have gone."_

_"The explosion was so powerful it cracked open a rift in time, just for a second. That's what gave you the gift of prophecy. It echoed back into the Pyrovillian alternative. But not any more. You're free."_

_"But tell me. Who are you, Doctor? With your words, and your temple containing such size within?"_

_"Oh, I was never here. Don't tell anyone."_

_"The great god Vulcan must be enraged. It's so volcanic. It's like some sort of volcano. All those people."_

Just as blackness is threatening to over take him, he pushes towards the surface of the water. His head pops above it and light flashes in his eyes as he struggles to take a breath. He feels hands grab him roughly and drag him to the side of the pool.

"Oi, Spaceman, What the hell do you think you are doing. Now look at me, my pajamas are soaked. You're buying me new ones." Donna yells at him.

She helps pull him up onto the side of the pool and he lays there staring up at the ceiling.

_"Thank you." Donna says. _

_"Yeah. You were right. Sometimes I need someone. Welcome aboard."_


	21. The Planet of the Ood part 1

Donna was staring at him again. Ever since she had pulled him out of the pool last night, she hadn't left his side for a second. He headed towards the shower and let out a loud sigh when she tried to follow him into the bathroom. Enough was enough.

"Donna, I am not suicidal." He said enunciating each word. He had all ready told her this fifteen times.

"Could have fooled me." She said just as clearly, for the fifteenth time as well, but her face softened a little. "You have ten minutes, then I am coming in after you."

He closed the door, thankful for a moment of privacy, but he also knew she wasn't kidding. He showered quickly, then tied the towel around his waist. At exactly ten minutes he pulled the door open.

"Show off," she grumbled. She had been sitting across from the bathroom waiting for him. She stood up and followed him as he headed to his room and then thankfully didn't try to follow him as he entered it to get dressed.

Closing the door, he saw why. Kiam was still asleep on the bed. He smiled as he wondered how someone so small could take up so much room. He got dressed and then went over to wake the sleeping child.

-DW-

DON'T GIVE HIM A PEAR," He yelled, as he watched horrified as Donna offered Kiam a piece of the one she had been eating. He didn't know where she had found one in the Tardis kitchen because he was positive he had thrown all of them into a supernova.

She looked at him, "Is he allergic, or are they deadly to timelords?"

"No," he admited.

"Then, why ever not."

"I hate pears." He smiled at her as she rolled her eyes.

-DW-

"And stay out," He said, throwing the last pear into the supernova. He had found no less then ten pears in the kitchen and he wanted them gone. He closed the doors happily and turned to Donna.

"So lets go somewhere."

"I like pears," She told him.

"No you don't, No one does." He said matter of factly and starts pressing buttons on the console. He sets them for random and then sets the Tardis in motion.

-DW-

"Mystery tour. Outside that door could be any planet, anywhere, anywhen in the whole wide u..." he paused seeing how pale Donna was. "Are you all right"

"Terrified. I mean, history's one thing but an alien planet?"

"I could always take you home."

"Yeah, don't laugh at me." Donna says frowning at him.

"I know what it's like. Everything you're feeling right now. The fear, the joy, the wonder? I get that."

"Seriously? After all this time?"

"Yeah. Why do you think I keep going?"

"Oh. All right then, you and me both. This is barmy. I was born in Chiswick. I've only ever had package holidays. Now I'm here. This is so. I mean it's. I don't know, it's all sort of. I don't even know what the word is." As she opens the door she continues her thought. "Oh, I've got the word. Freezing."

He follows behind her holding Kiam's hand. "Snow! Oh, real snow. Proper snow at last. That's more like it. Lovely. What do you think?"

"Bit cold. "

Looking around he sees massive icicles hanging from bridges of rocks over ravines. "Look at that view." He says in awe.

"Yep. Beautiful, cold view."

" Millions of planets, millions of galaxies, and we're on this one. How about that Donna?"

He turns and looks at where she had been standing. "Donna?" He looks at Kiam who is leaning over, playing with the snow, with his free hand. "Why doesn't anybody ever follow rule one."

He sees her coming out of the Tardis wearing a heavy Jacket and carrying a smaller one in her hands. She goes over to Kiam and starts to put it on him.

"Sorry, you were saying?"

"Better?"

"Lovely, thanks. "

"Comfy?"

"Yep."

"Can you hear anything inside that?" He wonders as she tries again to put the hood on Kiam and Kiam reaches up and pushes it off. She gives up and stands up.

"Pardon?"

"All right, I was saying, citizen of the Earth"

A rocket flies by them and Kiam points at it.

"Rocket. Blimey, a real proper rocket. Now that's what I call a spaceship. You've got a box, he's got a Ferrari." He briefly considers leaving here on the planet for calling his home a box. "Come on, lets go see where he's going."


	22. The Planet of the Ood part 2

He hears music as they cross a rock bridge, following the general path of the rocket.

"Hold on, can you hear that? Donna, take your hood down."

"What?"

"That noise is like a song. Over there." he heads to noise and sees an ood laying on the ground, partly covered in snow. Not wanting Kiam to see, he lets go of his hand and walks over and kneels down next to the Ood, keeping one eye on his child.

"What is it?" Donna ask as she kneels next to him.

"An Ood. He's called an Ood."

"But it's face."

"Donna, don't. Not now. It's a he, not an it. Give me a hand."

"Sorry."

He pulls out his stethoscope and tries to find a heartbeat. "I don't know where the heart is. I don't know if he's got a heart. Talk to him, keep him going."

"It's all right, we've got you. Er, what's your name?"

The ood holds the translator Ball. "Designated Ood Delta 50."

He watches as Donna picks up the Ball and speaks into it. "My name's Donna."

"No. No, no, no. You don't need to." he takes it from her and hands it back to Delta 50.

"Sorry. Oh, God. This is the Doctor."

"You've been shot." He says sadly at the realization.

"The circle."

"No, don't try to talk." Donna says.

"The circle must be broken."

"Circle?" He ask. "What do you mean? Delta 50, what circle? Delta 50? What circle?"

Delta 50 sits up and roars at them his eyes suddenly red. He grabs Donna and pulls her back, using their bodies to block Kiam. He watches as Delta 50 exhales and then falls back.

"He's gone." Donna says and moves closer.

"Careful." He says not moving.

"There you are, sweetheart. We were too late. What do we do, do we bury him?"

"The snow'll take care of that."

"Who was he? What's an Ood?"

"They're servants of humans in the forty second century. Mildly telepathic. That was the song. It was his mind calling out."

"I couldn't hear anything. He sang as he was dying."

"His eyes turned red."

"What's that mean?"

"Trouble. Come on." He leaned down and grabbed Kiam's hand. He made a face at how wet they were. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a handkerchief. He dries Kiam's hands and his own. He stows the handkerchief back in his pocket and takes Kiam's hand again in the other hand. He starts to walk and Donna follows him.

"The Ood are harmless. They're completely benign. Except, the last time I met them, there was this force, like a stronger mind, powerful enough to take them over."

"What sort of force?"

"Oh, long story."

"Long walk."

"It was the Devil." He says simply enough. He didn't really want to talk about that day.

"If you're going to take the mickey, I'll just put my hood back up."

"Must be something different this time, though. Something closer to home." They come to a small hill and he scoops Kiam up and climbs it. "Ah ha! Civilization." He says seeing a building in the distance.

Reaching the complex he uses his psychic paper to get passed the guards and they head over to a group of people.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry. Late. Don't mind us. Hello. The guards let us through."

"And you would be?" She asked them.

The Doctor, Kiam and Donna Noble."

"Representing the Noble Corporation PLC Limited, Intergalactic."

"Must have fallen off my list. My apologies. Won't happen again. Now then, Doctor Noble, Mrs Noble, if you'd like to come with me, though it is unusual for children to be brought here.

"Oh, no, no, no, no. We're not married."

"We're so not married." Donna agreed with him.

"Of course. And here are your information packs, vouchers inside. Now if you'd like to come with me, the Executive Suites are nice and warm."

They enter a room and see three ood standing around on small platforms, while others are serving drinks.

The hostess started her speech. "As you can see, the Ood are happy to serve..." He tuned her out his thoughts elsewhere. Hearing clapping he snaps back to reality and heads over to the lectern she was using. He tries to pass Kiam to Donna and she gives him a look. He gives her puppy dog eyes and she shakes her head. Mumbling about "liking Martha better," he sets to work one hand and uses the computer to light up the big screen.

"Ah, got it. The Ood Sphere, I've been to this solar system before. Years ago. Ages. Close to the planet Sense Sphere. Let's widen out." He hits a few more keys. "The year 4126. That is the Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire."

"4126? It's 4126. I'm in 4126."

"It's good, isn't it?"

"What's the Earth like now?"

"Bit full. But you see, the Empire stretches out across three galaxies."

"It's weird. I mean, it's brilliant, but. Back home, the papers and the telly, they keep saying we haven't got long to live. But look at us. We're everywhere. Is that good or bad, though? I mean, are we like explorers? Or more like a virus?"

"Sometimes I wonder."

He starts digging in the lectern and comes across a map. He turns to Donna and holds it up.

"I've had enough of the schmoozing. Do you fancy going off the beaten track?"

"Rough guide to the Ood Sphere? Works for me."

-DW-

He uses the sonic screwdriver to break through a mesh gate. They hear one of the guards say. "Ood shift eight now commencing." As they watch the Odd march across an upper catwalk. One at the back falls down and another guard marches over to it holding a whip. He turns Kiam away from it as the man tells the ood to get up and cracks the whip.

"Servants? They're slaves." Donna says appalled.

"Last time I met the Ood, I never thought. I never asked."

"That's not like you."

"I was busy. So busy I couldn't save them. I had to let the Ood die." He had wanted to save them, but by the time he had rescued Ida it was too late. "I reckon I owe them one."

"That looks like the boss."

"Let's keep out of his way." He turns down a side path. "Come on."

He continues walking, until he hears a whistle behind him. He stops and turns to see Donna standing by a door.

"Where'd you learn to whistle?"

"West Ham, every Saturday."

He opens the door and enters it seeing lines and lines of shipping containers. "Ood export." He points at a claw like crane. "You see? Lifts up the containers, takes them to the rocket sheds, ready to be flown out all over the three galaxies."

"What, you mean, these containers are full of?"

"What do you think?" He walks over to one of the shipping containers and sonics the lock. Opening it to ood standing silently inside.

"Oh, it stinks. How many of them do you think there are in each one?"

"Hundred? More?"

"A great big empire built on slavery. I don't understand, the door is open, why don't you just run away?"

"For what reason?" One of the ood ask.

"You could be free." Donna replied.

"Ood, tell me. Does the circle mean anything to you?" He ask. Donna glares at him, obviously not done with her argument.

"The circle must be broken." They replied as one.

"But what is it? What is the circle?" He wanted to help them but he couldn't unless he knew what he was looking for.

"The circle must be broken."

"Why?" he asked taking a new direction, since they had not answered his previous question.

"So that we can sing."

At that an alarm sounds. "Oh, that's us. Come on." He holds Kiam tightly to his side as he takes off.

He stops running as he realizes Donna is not beside him. He looks around confused. Until he hears the claw moving above him. He takes off running again trying desperately to get away from it. It hits him in the back and he falls over and lands hard. Kiam starts screaming but he uses his body to cover Kiam as he hears the claw coming down towards them. Suddenly it stops and he realizes he had been holding his breath. He lets it out and sits up. "There, there. It's all right. He says to Kiam, as he tries to cling to him. He checks him over and is relieved to find out he is just scared from the fall. He stands up as three guards come over. One grabs Kiam from him and the other two grab his arms and pull them behind his back. "If you hurt him, you'll answer to me." He says calmly to the guard holding Kiam. He watches pleased as the man turns pale.

They march him through the shipping containers and he hears Donna calling from one of them.

"Doctor, get me out of here."

"If you don't do what she says, you're really in trouble. Not from me, from her." He says to the guards. They open the container and she runs out. "There we go safe and sound." He says.

"Never mind about me. What about them?" He looks at the ood and sees they all have red eyes. The guards holding his arms, release him as the ood kill the guard closest to the shipping container. He takes Kiam back from the other guard as they open fire on the ood.

"Come on Donna," He grabs her hand with his free hand and they run outside. "This way." He says listening to the ood sing. He stops out side of a door.

"Oh, can you hear it? I didn't need the map. I should have listened."

They go inside and he sonics the door lock. Turning around he sees a cage holding ood sitting in a circle. All of them have there hands clasped together, protecting what is in it.

"Hold on. Does that mean we're locked in?"

"Listen." He says. The music, seeming so loud it is hard to think. "Oh, my head."

"What is it?"

"Can't you hear it? The singing?" He looked at Kiam and wondered if he could hear it. The baby was back to his normal curious self and his eyes were lit up in wonder as he looked at the ood. Deciding he could he smiled.

"They look different to the others."

"That's because they're natural born Ood, unprocessed, before they're adapted to slavery. Unspoilt."

He sonics the lock on the ood cage as pounding starts on the door.

"They're breaking in."

"Ah, let them." He tries once again to pass Kiam to Donna and this time she takes him. He goes into the cage and kneels next to one of them. "What are you holding? Show me. Friend. Doctor, Donna. Friend. Let me see. Look at me. Let me see. That's it. That's it, go on. Go on."

The Ood opens his hands to reveal that he is holding a small brain.

"Is that?"

"It's a brain. A hind brain. The Ood are born with a secondary brain. Like the amygdala in humans, it processes memory and emotions. You get rid of that, you wouldn't be Donna any more. You'd be like an Ood. A processed Ood."

"So the company cuts off their brains?" Donna began

"And they stitch on the translator." He finished

"Like a lobotomy. I spent all that time looking for you, Doctor, because I thought it was so wonderful out here. I want to go home."

The door crashes open and the guards rush in. He grabs the cage door and locks the three of them in the cage with the ood.

"What you going to do, then? Arrest me? Lock me up? Throw me in a cage? Well, you're too late. Ha!"


	23. Planet of the Ood Part 3

On second thought he could have come up with a better plan. They had been taken to an office and handcuffed to pipes. One of the guards was standing nearby holding Kiam and he had been staring the guard down.

"Why don't you just come out and say it? FOTO activists." Halpen said.

"If that's what Friends Of The Ood are trying to prove, then yes." He replied turning his attention to Halpen as the guard lowered his eyes to the ground.

"The Ood were nothing without us, just animals roaming around on the ice."

"That's because you can't hear them."

"They welcomed it. It's not as if they put up a fight."

"You idiot. They're born with their brains in their hands. Don't you see, that makes them peaceful. They've got to be, because a creature like that would have to trust anyone it meets."

"Oh, nice one." He said proudly.

"Thank you." She replied.

"The system's worked for two hundred years. All we've got is a rogue batch. But the infection is about to be sterilised. Mister Kess. How do we stand?"

"You're going to gas them?." He asked in disbelief.

"Kill the livestock. The classic foot and mouth solution from the olden days. Still works."

"What's happening?"

"Everything you wanted, Doctor. No doubt there'll be a full police investigation once this place has been sterilized, so I can't risk a bullet to the head. I'll leave you to the mercies of the Ood."

"But Mister Halpen, there's something else, isn't there? Something we haven't seen."

"What do you mean?"

"A creature couldn't survive with a separate forebrain and hind brain, they'd be at war with themselves. There's got to be something else, a third element, am I right?"

"And again, so clever."

"But it's got to be connected to the red eye. What is it?" He had to know and grew angry at Halpen's answer

"It won't exist for very much longer. Enjoy your Ood." He gestures to the guards and they turn to leave. He turns his glaze back to the one holding Kiam. He sets Kiam down and leaves the room in a hurry with the others closing the door behind him. Kiam runs over to him and gestures that he wants up.

"Well, do something. You're the one with all the tricks. You must have met Houdini." Donna says

She was right, but he wasn't going to tell her that. Instead he struggled with them "These are really good handcuffs." He said finally.

"Oh well, I'm glad of that. I mean, at least we've got quality."

The door opens and three ood with red eyes enter.

"Kiam get behind me," he says, thankfully the toddler listens and gets behind his legs.

"Doctor, Donna, friends." He calls out repeatedly at the same time Donna keeps saying "The circle must be broken."

The ood stop with the transmitter inches from his forehead.

"Doctor. Donna. Friends."

"Yes. That's us. Friends. Oh, yes." The ood release them and he turns and picks up Kiam and runs out of the door after Haplin.

He keeps running through the factor complex. He was getting annoyed. "I don't know where it is. I don't know where they've gone."

"What are we looking for?"

"It might be underground, like some sort of cave, or a cavern, or." his rambling is cut off by an explosion near by. He uses his coat to cover Kiam as the smoke over takes them. Swearing to himself that next time he would go somewhere safe. As the smoke clears he sees an ood standing in front of them.

They follow the ood to a door and he sonics the door controls. He ignores the fact that Halpen is there and walks over to the railing and looks down.

"The Ood Brain. Now it all makes sense, That's the missing link. The third element, binding them together. Forebrain, hind brain, and this, the telepathic center. It's a shared mind, connecting all the Ood in song."

"Cargo. I can always go into cargo. I've got the rockets, I've got the sheds. Smaller business. Much more manageable, without livestock." Halpen says.

"You're going to kill it?" Donna ask

"They found that thing centuries ago beneath the Northern Glacier."

"Those pylons." He says indicating the blue electrical currents.

"In a circle. The circle must be broken. Damping the telepathic field. Stopping the Ood from connecting for two hundred years."

"And you, Ood Sigma, you brought them here. I expected better." Halpen says.

"My place is at your side, sir." Sigma replies.

"Still subservient. Good Ood."

"If that barrier thing's in place, how come the Ood started breaking out?"

"Maybe it's taken centuries to adapt. The subconscious reaching out?"

Halpen pulls out a gun and points it at them. He shifts Kiam far onto his side and turns his body slightly, trying to keep him out of the way of the gun. "Can't say I've ever shot anyone before. Can't say I'm going to like it. But er, it's not exactly a normal day, is it? Still."

"Would you like a drink, sir?" Sigma ask

"I think hair loss is the least of my problems right now, thanks."

Sigma stands in front of him and Kiam. "Please have a drink, sir."

"If, if you're going to stand in their way, I'll shoot you too."

"Please have a drink, sir."

"Have, have you poisoned me?"

"Natural Ood must never kill, sir."

"What is that stuff?" He says suddenly curious.

"Ood graft suspended in a biological compound, sir." Sigma replies.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Oh, dear."

"Tell me!" He watches the man peel away some of his hair. He felt a cold anger at the man who had imprisoned the ood and pulled a gun on his son.

"Funny thing, the subconscious." He said coldly. "Takes all sorts of shapes. Came out in the red eye as revenge, came out in the rabid Ood as anger, and then there was patience. All that intelligence and mercy, focused on Ood Sigma. How's the hair loss, Mister Halpen?"

He grins at Halpen as more hair comes away in his hand. "What have you done?" Halpen ask.

"Oh, they've been preparing you for a very long time. And now you're standing next to the Ood Brain, Mister Halpen, can you hear it? Listen."

"What have you? I'm not." Halpen drops the gun finally and reaches for his head. He watches as the skin peels off and tentacles come out of his mouth.

"They, they turned him into an Ood?" Donna asks sounding horrified.

"Yep." He says a little to happy.

Donna gives him a concerned look. "He's an ood."

He tries to keep the happiness out of his voices as he replies to her. "I noticed." He winces as Halpin sneezes and a small brain lands in his hands.

"He has become Oodkind, and we will take care of him."

"It's weird, being with you. I can't tell what's right and what's wrong any more."

"It's better that way. People who know for certain tend to be like Mister Halpen. And now, Sigma, would you allow me the honor?"

"It is yours, Doctor."

He goes to the controls and starts pressing buttons deactivating the current surrounding the brain. "Oh, yes! Stifled for two hundred years, but not any more. The circle is broken. The Ood can sing."

"I can hear it!" Donna says in amazement.

-DW-

He is standing outside the Tardis with Donna. Kiam was standing next to him holding on to his pants leg. He looks at ood Sigma.

"The message has gone out. That song resonated across the galaxies. Everyone heard it. Everyone knows. The rockets are bringing them back. The Ood are coming home."

"We thank you, Doctor Donna, friends of Oodkind. And what of you now? Will you stay? There is room in the song for you."

"Oh, I've, I've sort of got a song of my own, thanks."

"I think your song must end soon."

He frowns. "Meaning?"

"Every song must end."

"Yeah." He wasn't ready for his song to end. He still had so much more he wanted to do. He continues to frown as he turns to Donna "Er, what about you? You still want to go home?"

To his relief "No. Definitely not."

"Then we'll be off." He opens the door to the Tardis and Kiam runs in ahead of them.

"Take this song with you." Ood sigma says.

"We will."

"Always." He says

"And know this, Doctor Donna. You will never be forgotten. Our children will sing of the Doctor Donna, and our children's children, and the wind and the ice and the snow will carry your names forever."

He follows Donna inside and walks to the Console sending the Tardis back into the vortex.

"Your song must end soon," The words kept going through his head. He stares down at the controls.

"Doctor," He hears Donna say. He snaps his head up and looks at her.  
"Yes"

"You really are a spaceman, I've been calling you for five minutes."

"Sorry," He says sheepishly. "You have my full attention."

"Dinner," She says and smiling holds out a pear to him.


	24. The Doctor's Daughter

It had been a long couple of days. Martha had called from earth and he had returned to help U.N.I.T once again. He had almost sacrificed himself to save Earth from the Sontaran's, but instead, yet again, someone else had died. He was now back on the Tardis alone with Kiam as he waited for Donna to return from visiting her mom and grandfather. He had taken Kiam down to the Medibay and was running a scan on him. It worried him that Kiam still didn't talk.

He had tried to ignore it, but Kiam was a year and a half now. He should have at least started to make noises, but except for happy gurgling and crying, he didn't use his mouth to communicate. He tried to be patient, knowing Kiam had come along way from the struggling newborn he had been. But as time passed he was being to wonder if even though Kiam looked like him, he was not a timelord. He looked at the results on the screen. He breathed a sigh of relief to see that his vocal cords were completely developed. He turned his focus to his next concern.

"So you are a quiet little Timelord," He said, seeing the DNA scan showed the extra helix, that meant he was a Timelord as well as human. "That's okay, Daddy does enough talking for the two of us." Feeling better he picked Kiam up off the medical bay and carried him to to the control room. He knew he should have done the scans months ago but his hearts couldn't bare the thought that something might be wrong with Kiam.

The door to the Tardis opens and he smiles as Donna walks in, followed by Martha.

"How were they?" Martha was asking Donna.

"Oh, same old stuff. They're fine. So, you going to come with us? We're not exactly short of space."

"Oh, I have missed all this, but, you know. I'm good here, back at home. And I'm better for having been away. Besides, someone needs me. Never mind the universe, I've got a great big world of my own now."

The door slams shut on its own and the Tardis dematerializes. Throwing him to the ground. "What, What," He says crawling up to look at the screen.

"Doctor, don't you dare!" Martha yells at him.

"No, no, no. I didn't touch anything. We're in flight. It's not me."

"Where are we going?" Donna asked.

"I don't know. It's out of control!" He replied confused.

"Doctor, just listen to me. You take me home. Take me home right now!" Martha yelled at him.

-DW-

He was hanging on to the console one handed and trying to keep Kiam steady with the other.

"What the hell's it doing?" Donna yelled at him.

"The control's not working." He replied as he gets thrown towards the jar with his hand in it. " I don't know where we're going, but my old hand's very excited about it."

"I thought that was just some freaky alien thing. You telling me it's yours?" Donna said appalled.

"It got cut off. He grew a new one." Martha answered.

"You are completely impossible."

"Not impossible. Just a bit unlikely." He smiled at her as the Tardis finally lands. Still holding Kiam's hand he rushes out the doors and what looks like a junk yard. "Why would the Tardis bring us here, then?"

"Oh, I love this bit."

"I thought you wanted to go home."

"I know, but all the same, it's that feeling you get." Martha replied.

"Don't move! Stay where you are! Drop your weapons." A voice came from  
behind them. He turns to see three men pointing rifles at them. "What is with people and guns," He thought to himself as he released Kiam's hand and gently pushed him behind him. He raised his hands.

"We're unarmed. Look, no weapons. Never any weapons. We're safe."

"Look at their hands. They're clean." One of the men said.

"All right, process them. Him first."

Two of the soldiers walk over and take his arms, leading him away.

"Oi, oi. What's wrong with clean hands?" He ask the soldiers. He looks over his shoulder at Kiam, "Kiam go to Donna."

"What's going on?" Martha asks.

He is taken over to a machine and his right arm is pushed into it. He feels something inside grab his hand. Something tells me this isn't about to check my blood pressure." He feels a blade starting to scrape his skin and he cries out in pain.

"What are you doing to him? Leave him alone." Donna yells.

"Everyone gets processed." The man who is obviously their leader says.

"It's taken a tissue sample." He feels the blade start to cut again, "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow." He pauses. "And extrapolated it. Some kind of accelerator?" His hand is finally released and he pulls it out of the machine quickly.

"Are you all right?"

He looks at the cut on the back of his hand. He goes even colder as he remembers the little boy with the gas mask. The cut is identical to the one that was on his hand. "What on earth? That's just.." He starts to explain to the others but stops as a metal door opens and a skinny blonde woman steps out.

"Arm yourself." The leader says handing her a rifle.

"Where did she come from?" Martha ask.

"From me." He responds.

"From you?. How? Who is she?" Donna demands an answer.

He stands silent as he watches her cock the rifle. "Well, she's, well, she's my daughter." he finally says.

"Hello, Dad." She says.

"You primed to take orders? Ready to fight?" The leader asks her.

"Instant mental download of all strategic and military protocols, sir. Generation five thousand soldier primed and in peak physical health. Oh, I'm ready." He watches her head over to a barricade.

"Did you say daughter?" Donna ask.

"Mmm. Technically." He responds still processing the information.

"Technically how?" Martha ask him.

"Progenation. Reproduction from a single organism. Means one parent is biological mother and father. You take a sample of diploid cells, split them into haploids, then recombine them in a different arrangement and grow. Very quickly, apparently."

"Something's coming." she called out. He turns and sees shadows coming towards them on the wall. As they get close they start firing and the soldiers start firing back.

He grabs Kiam and takes cover shielding Kiam with his body again. He looks to his side and is happy to see Martha and Donna taking cover too.

"We have to blow the tunnel. Get the detonator." The leader calls.

"I'm not detonating anything." He responds. He passes Kiam to Donna and heads over to help a wounded soldier. He sees one of the creatures grab Martha and his daughter fighting another one. She gets loose and grabs the detonator.

"Martha! No. Don't." He calls out as she hits the button. A tone sounds and everyone runs away from it as there is an explosion and the roof caves in.

"You've sealed off the tunnel. Why did you do that?" He ask her.

"They were trying to kill us."

"But they've got my friend." He says angry.

"Collateral damage. At least you've still got her and him. He lost both his men. I'd say you came out ahead."

"Her name's Martha. And she's not collateral damage, not for anyone. Have you got that, GI Jane?" Donna seethed.

"I'm going to find her."

"You're going nowhere. You don't make sense, you two. No guns, no marks, no fight in you. I'm taking you to General Cobb. Now, move." The leader says and he has no choice but to listen.

He had taken Kiam's hand again and was walking behind Donna and his new Daughter.

"I'm Donna. What's you name?" She asked.

"Don't know. It's not been assigned."

"Well, if you don't know that, what do you know?"

"How to fight."

"Nothing else?" Donna asked confused.

"The machine must embed military history and tactics, but no name. She's a generated anomaly." He says, still trying to get his head wrapped around it.

"Generated anomaly. Generated. Well, what about that? Jenny."

"Jenny. Yeah, I like that. Jenny."

"What do you think, Dad?" Donna called back at him.

"Good as anything, I suppose." He answers indifferently.

They enter a large room with a domed roof. He sees more cloning chambers.

"So, where are we? What planet's this?"

"Messaline. Well, what's left of it." The leader responds.

"It's like a town or a city underground. But why?"

A Man walks up to them "General Cobb, I presume."

"Found in the western tunnels, I'm told, with no marks. There was an outbreak of pacifism in the eastern zone three generations back, before we lost contact. Is that where you came from?"

"Eastern zone, that's us, yeah. I'm The Doctor, this is Kiam and that is Donna."

"And I'm Jenny."

"Don't think you can infect us with your peacemaking. We're committed to the fight, to the very end."

"Well, that's all right. I can't stay, anyway. I've got to go and find my friend."

"That's not possible. All movement is regulated. We're at war"

"Yes, I noticed. With the Hath. But tell me, because we got a bit out of circulation, eastern zone and all that. So who exactly are the Hath?"

"Back at the dawn of this planet, these ancient halls were carved from the earth. Our ancestors dreamt of a new beginning. A colony where human and Hath would work and live together."

"So what happened?"

"The dream died. Broken, along with Hath promises. They wanted it all for themselves. But those early pioneers, they fought back. They used the machines to produce soldiers instead of colonists, and began this battle for survival."

"There's nothing but earth outside, why's that? Why build everything underground?" Donna asked.

"The surface is too dangerous."

"Well, then why build windows in the first place? And what does this mean?" She points to the numbers 601707, written on a plaque.

"The rites and symbols of our ancestors. The meaning's lost in time."

"How long's this war gone on for?"

"Longer than anyone can remember. Countless generations marked only by the dead."

"What, fighting all this time?"

"Because we must." Jenny answered and he narrowed his eyes at her. "Every child of the machine is born with this knowledge. It's our inheritance. It's all we know. How to fight, and how to die."


	25. The Doctor's Daughter part 2

Ignoring Jenny, he started to look around the room. He noticed a map in the center of the room and headed over to it. "Does this show the entire city, including the Hath zones?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Well, it'll help us find Martha."

"We've more important things to do." Cline replied. "The progenation machines are powered down for the night shift, but soon as they're active, we could breed a whole platoon from you two."

"I'm not having sons and daughters by some great big flipping machine. Sorry, no offence, but you're not. Well, I mean, you're not real." Donna said.

"You're no better than him. I have a body, I have a mind, I have independent thought. How am I not real? What makes you better than me?" Jenny wondered.

"Well said, soldier. We need more like you, if ever we're to find the Source."

Eager to change the subject he jumped on that word. "Ooo, the Source. What's that, then? What's a Source? I like a Source. What is it?"

The simple answer The Breath of Life, told him nothing. He sighed and asked "And that would be?"

"In the beginning, the great one breathed life into the universe. And then she looked at what she'd done, and she sighed."

"She. I like that." Jenny said.

"Right. So it's a creation myth." Figured. Cobb was talking again but he ignored him, concentrating on the map instead. Something was wrong with it. He hits a button and the map buzzes at him.

"Aha! I thought so." He says so loudly the others jump. "There's a suppressed layer of information in this map. If I can just..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the sonic. Flipping the settings quickly, he points it at the map and smiles as more tunnels and chambers appear as the map rotates.

"What is it, what's it mean?"

"See? A whole complex of tunnels hidden from sight."

"That must be the lost temple. The Source will be inside. You've shown us the way. And look, we're closer than the Hath. It's ours. Once we reach the Temple, peace will be restored at long last." Cobb said happily.

He narrowed his eyes, he really didn't like this man. "Er, call me old-fashioned, but if you really wanted peace, couldn't you just stop fighting?"

"Only when we have the Source. It'll give us the power to erase every stinking Hath from the face of this planet."

"Hang on, hang on. A second ago it was peace in our time. Now you're talking about genocide." He had been annoyed but at the mention of genocide he grew angry.

"For us, that means the same thing."

"Then you need to get yourself a better dictionary." He spat at the man. "When you do, look up genocide. You'll see a little picture of me there, and the caption will read," He moved closer to General Cobb and got in his face, "over my dead body."

"And you're the one who showed us the path to victory. But you can consider the irony from your prison cell." He turned to the nearby soldiers. "Take them. I won't have them spreading treason. And if you try anything, Doctor, I'll see that the child dies first."

Seething now and with a deep loathing of the man, he pulled Kiam closer to him. "I'm going to stop you, Cobb. You need to know that."

"I have an army and the Breath of God on my side, Doctor. What'll you have?"

"This." He tapped his head never taking his eyes off of Cobb.

"Lock them up and guard them."

"What about the new soldier?"

"Can't trust her. She's from pacifist stock. Take them all." Cobb replied.

-DW-

The four of them were placed in a large cage. He was sitting on the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest, trying to clear his head. On one hand he was happy they hadn't tried to take Kiam from him, he really didn't want to hurt them, on the other hand he wasn't happy to be locked in the cage.

"More numbers. They've got to mean something." Donna said breaking the silence.

Not looking up he replied. "Makes as much sense as the Breath of Life story."

"You mean that's not true?" Jenny sounded upset.

"No, it's a myth. Isn't it, Doctor?"

"Yes, but there could still be something real in that temple. Something that's become a myth. A piece of technology, a weapon."

"So the Source could be a weapon and we've just given directions to Captain Nutjob?" He smiled slightly at Donna's description of the man.

"Oh, yes."

"Not good, is it?" Donna said stating the obvious.

"That's why we need to get out of here, find Martha and stop Cobb from slaughtering the Hath." He said looking up finally. He noticed Jenny's eyes were on him. "What?" He asked and when she didn't look away. "What are you staring at?"

"You keep insisting you're not a soldier, but look at you, drawing up strategies like a proper general."

"No, no. I'm trying to stop the fighting." He stood up and stretched.

"Isn't every soldier?"

"Well, I suppose, but that's, that's." He paused for a second trying to think of how it was different. Not being able to think of anything he decided it was time to change the subject and pulled out his sonic screwdriver again. "Technically, I haven't got time for this. Donna, give me your phone. Time for an upgrade."

"And now you've got a weapon."

"It's not a weapon."

"But you're using it to fight back. I'm going to learn so much from you. You are such a soldier."

He opened and closed his mouth a few times. He looked at Jenny who was still smiling and then at Kiam who was sitting on the ground trying to take his shoes off. He opened and closed his mouth again and then looked at Donna. "Donna, will you tell her?" He finally sputtered.

"Oh, you are speechless. I'm loving this. You keep on, Jenny."

Feeling slightly betrayed, he sonics the phone in his hand and calls Martha.

"Doctor"

Relief flows through him, "Martha, you're alive!"

"Doctor! Oh, am I glad to hear your voice. Are you all right?"

"I'm with Donna and Kiam. We're fine. What about you?"

"And, and Jenny. She's fine too." He glared at Donna.

"Yes, all right. And, and Jenny. That's the woman from the machine. The soldier. My daughter, except she isn't, she's, she's. Anyway. where are you?" He stuttered.

"I'm in the Hath camp. I'm okay, but something's going on. The Hath are all marching off to some place that's appeared on this map thing."

"Oh, that was me." Stupid, stupid, stupid. "If both armies are heading that way, there's going to be a bloodbath."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Just stay where you are. If you're safe there, don't move, do you hear?"

"But." she began and the phone cut off.

"To war!" The chant echos around the building.

"They're getting ready to move out. We have to get past that guard."

"I can deal with him." Jenny said.

"You're not going anywhere. You belong here with them."

"She belongs with us. With you. She's your daughter."

"She's a soldier. She came out of that machine."

"Oh yes, I know that bit. Listen, have you got that stethoscope?" He didn't reply. "Give it to me." He continued to pretend to ignore her. "Come on." She huffed and he finally reached into his pocket and pulled it out handing it to her.

"What are you doing?" Jenny asked concerned.

"It's all right. Just hold still." He watches as Donna listens to Jenny's heart.

"Come here. Listen, and then tell me where she belongs."

He reluctantly takes the stethoscope from her and puts it on his ears. He hears the familiar double heart beat.

"Two hearts." He says sadly and puts the stethoscope back in his pocket.

"Does that mean she's a, what do you call a female Time Lord?"

"What's a Time Lord?" Jenny asked curiously.

"It's who I am. It's where I'm from."

"And I'm from you."

"You're an echo, that's all." He says coldly. "A Time Lord is so much more. A sum of knowledge, a code, a shared history, a shared suffering. Only it's gone now. Gone forever."

"What happened?" She asked.

"There was a war."

"Like this one?"

"Bigger. Much bigger."

"And you fought, and killed?"

"Yes." He replied honestly.

"Then how are we different?" He turned his eyes back to the floor of the cell. He really wished she would stop asking that because he was having more and more difficulty finding an answer.

After several moment's of silence. Jenny said to him. "Let me help get past the guard."

He nodded. "Don't hurt him."

He watched her walk to the Jail door with grin on her face. She leaned against the bars.

"Hey."

"I'm not supposed to talk to you. I'm on duty." The guard responded.

"I know. Guarding me. So, does that mean I'm dangerous, or that I need protecting?"

"Protecting from what?"

"Oh, I don't know. Men like you?" She ran her fingers down his cheek and then leaned trough the bars and kissed him. While the Guard was distracted, she grabbed his pistol and pointed it at him "Keep quiet and open the door." She said sweetly.

He scoops up Kiam and heads out of the cell with Jenny and Donna following behind him. He heads down a flight of stairs and as he rounds the corner he sees a guard on the lower level. He ducks down and motions for the other two to do the same. He looks past the guard and sees a door. "That's the way out." He says in a low voice and points towards it. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Jenny raise the pistol.

"Don't you dare."

"Let me distract this one. I have picked up a few womanly wiles over the years." Donna says.

He has to fight hard to keep from laughing. "Let's save your wiles for later." She looks at him insulted and snickering he adds. "In case of emergency."

He starts looking through his pockets trying to locate his mouse. He finally finds it and holds up the little clockwork mouse. Winding it up he sets it on the floor and they watch as it comes to a halt behind the guard. The guard leans over to pick it up and Jenny Karate chops him from behind. His laughter gone he gets angry with her. "I was going to distract him, not clobber him."

"Well, it worked, didn't it?"

He ignores her and checks on the man, making sure he was alive. He notices a piece of paper in his hand takes it to have a look.

"They must all have a copy of that new map." He looks at Jenny. "Just stay there. Don't hurt anyone."

He starts looking around comparing the map to where they are. "Wait. This is it. The hidden tunnel." He heads over to a section of the wall and starts sonicing it. "There must be a control panel."

"It's another one of those numbers. They're everywhere." Donna says behind him.

"The original builders must have left them. Some old cataloging system."

"You got a pen? Bit of paper? Because, do you see, the numbers are counting down. This one ends in one four. The prison cell said one six." Proud of her he dug through his pockets and found a piece of paper and a pen. He turned and went back to work on the control panel.

"Always thinking, both of you. Who are you people?" Jenny asked.

"I told you. I'm the Doctor and this is Kiam," He lifted the baby's arm.

"The Doctor. That's it?"

"That's all he ever says."

"So, you don't have a name either? Are you an anomaly, too?"

"No."

"Oh, come off it. You're the most anomalous bloke I've ever met. He scrunched up his face trying to decide if he had been insulted or not.  
Finally the door to the control panel comes loose. "Here it is!" He exclaimed happily and went to work on getting the door open.

"And Time Lords. What are they for, exactly?"

"For? They're not, they're not for anything."

"So what do you do?"

"I travel through time and space."

"He saves planets, rescues civilizations, defeats terrible creatures. And runs a lot. Seriously, there's an outrageous amount of running involved." Donna expands on his simple explanation.

He grins as the door finally opens. "Got it!" he exclaims. His happiness short lived as he hears foot steps approaching.

"Now, what were you saying about running?" He adjust Kiam and takes off running.


	26. The Doctor's Daughter Part 3

They keep running until they come across a network of lasers.

"That's not mood lighting, is it?"

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his clockwork mouse. He looks at it sadly for a second and then tosses it into the lasers watching it disintegrate.

"No, I didn't think so."

"Arming device." He heads over to a blue box and opens it getting to work on disarming the lasers.

"There's more of these. Always eight numbers, counting down the closer we get."

"Right, here we go." He says disarming the lasers. They start to take off as Jenny falls back.

"Where are you going?"

"I can hold them up." She replies.

"No, we don't need any more dead." He tells her.

"But it's them or us."

"It doesn't mean you have to kill them." He tries to explain.

"I'm trying to save your life." She wasn't getting it.

"Listen to me. The killing. After a while, it infects you. And once it does, you're never rid of it."

"We don't have a choice."

"We always have a choice." Startling himself as he realized how badly he wanted her to see it.

"I'm sorry." She disappears around the corner.

"Jenny," He calls again. Then turns angrily on Donna, as he hears gunfire start. "I told you. Nothing but a soldier."

"She's trying to help." Donna says.

"Jenny, come on." He calls out to her again and is relieved to her her call back. "I'm coming."

He takes off down the corridor. He hears one last gun shot and then she comes around the corner.

"Jenny, come on. That's it."

"Hurry up."

The lasers reappeared. No, no, no, no, no, no. The circuit's looped back." He stamped his foot like a child and ran his free hand through his hair.

"Zap it back again." Donna says.

"The controls are back there."

"They're coming." Jenny calls out.

"Wait." He looks around desperately for something. "Just." He searches for another control panel. "There isn't." He turns back to Jenny. "Jenny, I can't."

"I'll have to manage on my own. Watch and learn, Father."

She trows the weapon aside and he watches in amazement as she somersaults her way through the lasers.

"No way. But that was impossible."

"Not impossible. Just a bit unlikely." He wraps his arm around her and kisses her on the head. "Brilliant! You were brilliant. Brilliant."

"I didn't kill him. General Cobb, I could have kill him but I didn't. You were right. I had a choice." She beams up at him and he smiles happily back at her. As the soldiers appear at the other side of the laser's he starts to back up as Donna and Jenny run away. They lower their guns at him.

"I warned you, Cobb. If the Source is a weapon, I'm going to make sure you never use it." He threatens Cobb.

"One of us is going to die today and it won't be me." Cobb calls back and he takes off as he hears gunfire start behind him.

Catching up to Donna and Jenny he slows down and they walk down the corridor.

"So, you travel together, but you're not together?" Jenny asked curiously.

"What? No. No. No way. No, no, we're friends, that's all."

"And what's it like, the travelling?"

"Oh, never a dull moment. It can be terrifying, brilliant and funny, sometimes all at the same time. I've seen some amazing things though. Whole new worlds."

"Oh, I'd love to see new worlds."

"You will. Won't she, Doctor?"

Trying to stall while he thought about it, he just replies "Hmm"

"Do you think Jenny will see any new worlds?"

"I suppose so." He says finally giving in.

"You mean. You mean you'll take me with you?" She ask excited.

"Well, we can't leave you here, can we?"

She stops and turns around wrapping her arms around him and Kiam happily. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. Come on, let's get a move on." She lets them go and takes off running.

"Careful, there might be traps." He calls after her.

"Kids. They never listen." Donna says and he rolls his eyes.

He hears gunfire and Jenny comes running back at him "They've blasted through the beams. Time to run again. Love the running. Yeah?"

"Love the running." He agrees.

They come across a plain door and he sonics it open. They enter and he locks it behind them.

"Oh, that was close."

"No fun otherwise."

"It's not what I'd call a temple." Donna says looking around.

"It's a spaceship." He says.

"What, the original one? The one the first colonists arrived in?"

"Well, it could be, but the power cells would have run down after all that time. This one's still powered-up and functioning. Come on." He leads them up a flight of stairs and stops when he sees some one cutting their way off to the next door.

"It's the Hath. That door's not going to last much longer. And if General Cobb gets through down there, war's going to break out."

He sees a screen and exclaims happily. "Look," as he head's over to it to get a better look. He pulls out his glasses and puts them on "Ship's log."

"What happened?"

"Phase one, construction. They used robot drones to build the city."

"But does it mention the war?" Donna ask.

He scrolls down. "Final entry. Mission commander dead. Still no agreement on who should assume leadership. Hath and humans have divided into factions. That must be it. A power vacuum. The crew divided into two factions and turned on each other. Start using the progenation machines, suddenly you've got two armies fighting a never-ending war."

"Look at that." Donna says pointing to the numbers on the display.

"It's like the numbers in the tunnels." he says.

"But listen, I spent six months working as a temp in Hounslow Library, and I mastered the Dewey Decimal System in two days flat. I'm good with numbers. It's staring us in the face."

"What is?"

"It's the date. Assuming the first two numbers are some big old space date, then you've got year, month, day. It's the other way round, like it is in America The codes are completion dates for each section. They finish it, they stamp the date on. So the numbers aren't counting down, they're going out from here, day by day, as the city got built."

"Yes. Oh, good work, Donna."

"Yeah. But you're still not getting it. The first number I saw back there, was sixty twelve oh seven seventeen. Well, look at the date today."

"Oh seven twenty four." But that means, "No."

"What does it mean?" Jenny ask.

"Seven days since war broke out." He says.

"This war started seven days ago."

"They said years."

"No, they said generations. And if they're all like you, and they're products of those machines."

"They could have twenty generations in a day. Each generation gets killed in the war, passes on the legend. Oh, Donna, you're a genius."

"But all the buildings, the encampments. They're in ruins." Jenny said in disbelief.

"No, they're not ruined. They're just empty. Waiting to be populated. Oh, they've mythologized their entire history. The Source must be part of that too. Come on."

They head off and to his joyous surprise sees Martha.

"Doctor!" She exclaims giving him a hug.

"Martha! Oh, I should have known you wouldn't stay away from the excitement."

"Positions."

"That's the General. We haven't got much time." He said.

"We don't even know what we're looking for."

"Is it me, or can you smell flowers?" Martha ask.

"Yes. I say we follow our nose." He heads in the direction of the smell finding a room on the spaceship filled with plants.

"Oh, yes. Yes. Isn't this brilliant?"

They walk up to a glowing globe on a pedestal with wires running to it. There is a control panel and screen nearby.

"Is that the Source?"

"It's beautiful."

"Terraforming." He says simply as the Hath and soldiers run into the room from opposite sides, surrounding the small group. He finally passes Kiam to Donna and holds out his hands.

"Stop! Hold your fire!"

"What is this, some kind of trap?"

"You said you wanted this war over." He says.

"I want this war won."

"You can't win. No one can. No more fighting, no more killing." He picks the globe up. "I'm the Doctor, and I declare this war is over."  
He throws the globe onto the floor and it smashes releasing gas and energy. Jenny joins him by his side.

"What's happening?" She asks in awe.

"The gases will escape and trigger the terraforming process."

"What does that mean?"

"It means a new world."

He hears Jenny yell no followed shortly by a gunshot. He catches her as she falls back and lays her gently on the ground. Holding her Upper body in his arms.

"Jenny? Jenny. Talk to me, Jenny."

"A new world. It's beautiful." She says in a daze.

"Jenny, be strong now. You need to hold on, do you hear me? We've got things to do, you and me, hey? Hey? We can go anywhere. Everywhere. You choose."

"That sounds good."

"You're my daughter, and we've only just got started. You're going to be great. You're going to be more than great. You're going to be amazing. You hear me?" He notices her eyes drifting closed "Jenny?" She was gone.

Tears fill his eyes and he looks pleadingly at Martha. "Two hearts. Two hearts. She's like me. If we wait. If we just wait."

"There's no sign, Doctor. There is no regeneration. She's like you, but maybe not enough."

"No. Too much. That's the truth of it. She was too much like me." He lays Jenny down and kisses her forehead, then goes over to Cobb. Cline and another soldier are holding his arms and making him kneel. He picks up the pistol and points it at Cobb's head for a very long time before putting the safety back on.

"I never would. Have you got that? I never would. When you start this new world, this world of Human and Hath, remember that. Make the foundation of this society a man who never would." He drops the gun and goes and sits back down by Jenny.

-DW-

He stood against the wall looking down. Jenny was laying in state and he couldn't bare to look at her body anymore.

"It's happening. The terraforming."

"Build a city, nice and safe underground, strip away the top soil and there it is. And what about Jenny?"

"Let us give her a proper ceremony. I think it'd help us. Please."

He wanted to tell them, her body should be burned to follow the customs of his people. But he didn't trust himself to speak, all he could do was nod.

-DW-

He walked sadly around the console. Both of his hearts aching. "Jenny was the reason for the Tardis bringing us here. It just got here too soon, which then created Jenny in the first place. Paradox. An endless paradox." He turns and looks at Martha. "Time to go home?"

"Yeah. Home."

He takes Martha home and then not looking at Donna says. "I am going to go lay down." He leaves the control room leaving her with Kiam. He goes to his bed and lays down on top of the blankets fully clothed staring at the ceiling. He lays there for hours alone until he hears the door open and Donna comes in with Kiam. She lifts up the blankets, sets the sleeping baby down and crawls underneath them with him.

"Are you okay." She ask him.

"I'm always okay."


	27. Midnight

But he wasn't fine. Not really. No matter how many times he said it, Donna knew the truth of the matter. He was trying to be cheerful for the sake of her and Kiam but his smile barely reached his eyes. He had lost so much recently.

After leaving Martha they had headed for the largest Library ever, after receiving a mysterious summons on his psychic paper. There he ran from the piranhas of the air, called the Vashta Nerada and tried to figure out what happened to the 4000 people in the library, all the while trying to save a group of archaeologist led by a Professor River Song. She had unnerved him more then he cared to admit, by claiming to know him in the future. She had his sonic screw driver and she had known his name. Nobody knew his name, not even his own son, but she had whispered it in his ear.

Then to save everyone she had died. He had wanted to sacrifice himself but she knocked him out and he woke up handcuffed to a pipe. He pleaded with her to let him take her place but she wouldn't listen and he watched her die. He sat there, not trying to escape as he waited for someone to come rescue him. All he could do was stare at the place she had been.

He had saved her to the library mainframe using the sonic screwdriver she had carried, after realizing his future self, would have given it to her for a reason.

He needed a break, somewhere relaxing and that is why he had landed the Tardis at the Leisure Spa on the beautiful planet Midnight. Donna was eager to relax but he wanted to explore. He tried one last time to convince her to come with him and Kiam.

"Sapphire waterfall. It's a waterfall made of sapphire. This enormous jewel, the size of a glacier reaches the Cliffs of Oblivion, and then shatters into sapphires at the edge. They fall a hundred thousand feet into a crystal ravine.

"I bet you say that to all the girls." Donna replied.

"Oh, come on. They're boarding now. Four hours, that's all it takes."

"No, that's four hours there and four hours back. That's like a school trip."

"I'd rather go sunbathing."

"You be careful, that's Xtonic sunlight."

"Oh, I'm safe. It says in the brochure this glass is fifteen feet thick."

"All right, I give up. I'll be back for dinner. We'll try that anti-gravity restaurant. With bibs."

"That's a date." She replied. "Well, not a date. Oh, you know what I mean. Oh, get off."

"See you later."

"And you be careful, all right?"

"Taking a big space truck with a bunch of strangers across a diamond planet called Midnight? What could possibly go wrong?"

He hangs the phone up and climbs aboard the shuttle. He walks to the front of the aeroplane and sets Kiam down on his seat and buckles him in, before taking his own.

"That's the headphones for channels one to thirty six. Modem link for 3D vidgames. Complimentary earplugs. Complimentary slippers. Complimentary juice pack and complimentary peanuts. I must warn you some products may contain nuts."

"That'll be the peanuts." He says happily.

"Enjoy your trip."

"Oh, I can't wait. Allons-y."

"I'm sorry?"

"It's French, for let's go." He smiles at her.

"Fascinating."

An older gentleman leans over the seat and offers shakes his Hand.

"Hobbes. Professor Winfold Hobbes."

"I'm the Doctor and this is Kiam. Hello."

"It's my fourteenth time."

"Oh. Our first."

"And I'm Dee Dee, Dee Dee Blasco."

"Don't bother the man. Where's my water bottle?" He ask as they lean back.

"Ladies and gentlemen, and variations thereupon" The hostess begins. "Welcome on board the Crusader Fifty. If you would fasten your seatbelts, we'll be leaving any moment. Doors." The Doors close. "Shields down, I'm afraid the view is shielded until we reach the Waterfall Palace. Also, a reminder. Midnight has no air, so please don't touch the exterior door seals. Fire exit at the rear, and should we need to use it, you first. Now I will hand you over to Driver Joe."

A voice comes over the intercom. "Driver Joe at the wheel. There's been a diamondfall at the Winter Witch Canyon, so we'll be taking a slight detour, as you'll see on the map. The journey covers five hundred kliks to the Multifaceted Coast. Duration is estimated at four hours. Thank you for travelling with us, and as they used to say in the olden days, wagons roll."

The shuttle shakes a bit as it starts on the journey.

"For your entertainment, we have the Music Channel playing retrovids of Earth classics." A screen drops down showing a video of some woman. " Also, the latest artistic installation from Ludovico Klein." A hologram appears. "Plus, for the youngsters, a rare treat. The Animation Archives." A projection of Betty Boop onto a screen in front of the drivers cabin door. "Four hours of fun time. Enjoy."

He watches her head to the back of the aerobus and frowns at the bombardment of noise. He looks at Kiam who is rubbing his right ear, with the look he gets right before he starts to scream and then turns to look at the woman across the aisle who looks up at him very unhappy. He pulls out his sonic screwdriver and turns everything off. As it goes quiet he hears Hobbes behind him say "Well that's a mercy.

"I do apologize, ladies and gentlemen, and variations thereupon. We seem to had a failure of the Entertainment System."

"Oh." He says trying to sound disappointed as he unbuckles Kiam and pulls him on his lap. Rubbing his back soothingly.

"But what do we do?" A woman calls out.

"We've got four hours of this? Four hours of just sitting here?" A man calls out next.

He props himself up on the arm of the seat with Kiam still in his arms. "Tell you what. We'll have to talk to each other instead." He grins at the other passengers.


	28. Midnight part 2

Soon he has the other passengers laughing and joking with him as they travel across the surface. He sits happily with Biff, his wife Val and there son Jethro, as they tell stories about there trip. He shares a drink with Dee Dee and hears he speak of the lost moon of Poosh. For lunch him and Kiam sit with Sky and they talk about traveling while he tries to figure out if they are eating beef or chicken. Then as Professor Hobbes is giving a lecture on the planet Midnight the aerobus comes to a sudden stop.

"We've stopped. Have we stopped?" Val asked.

"Are we there?" Her husband Biff asked.

"We can't be, it's too soon." Dee Dee responds.

"They don't stop. Crusader vehicles never stop." Hobbes replied.

"If you could just return to your seats. It's just a small delay." The hostess says heading to the intercom phone. "What's going on?" She ask into it.

"There's no pit to stop in. I've been on this expedition fourteen times. They never stop."

"Well, evidently we have stopped, so there's no point in denying it." Sky says finally speaking up.

"We've broken down. In the middle of nowhere."

"Thanks, Jethro." Val says.

"Ladies and gentlemen, and variations thereupon. We're just experiencing a short delay. The driver needs to stabilize the engine feeds. It's perfectly routine, so if you could just stay in your seats."

Knowing she is lying, he takes Kiam by the hand and heads to the cockpit door.

"No, I'm sorry, sir, I. Could you please?"

He flashes the psychic paper at her "There you go. Engine expert. Two ticks." He opens the driver's door and heads into the compartment.

The driver turns around and looks at him. "Sorry. If you could return to your seat, sir."

"Company insurance." He flashes the psychic paper at him. "Let's see if we can get an early assessment. So, what's the problem, Driver Joe?"

"We're stabilising the engine feeds. Won't take long."

"Er, no, because that's the engine feed, that line there," He points at it. "and it's fine. And it's a micropetrol engine, so stabilising doesn't really make sense, does it? Sorry. I'm the Doctor, I'm very clever. So, what's wrong?"

"We just stopped. Look, all systems fine, everything's working, but we're not moving." The other man answers.

He scans it with his screwdriver "Yeah, you're right. No faults. And who are you?"

"Claude. I'm the mechanic. Trainee."

"Nice to meet you."

"I've sent a distress signal. They should dispatch a rescue truck, top speed." The driver says.

"How long till they get here?"

"About an hour."

"Well, since we're waiting, shall we take a look outside? Just lift the screens a bit?" He really wanted to see what the planet looked like.

"It's a hundred percent Xtonic out there. We'd be vaporized." The driver says.

He picks up Kiam so he can see over the seats. "Nah. Those windows are Finitoglass. They'd give you a couple of minutes. Go on, live a little."

"Well." He watches happily as the driver raises the screen.

"Oh, that is beautiful."

"Look at all those diamonds. Poisoned by the sun. No-one can ever touch them."

"Joe, you said we took a detour?" He ask not taking his eyes off the diamonds.

"Just about forty kliks to the west."

"Is that a recognized path?"

"No, it's a new one. The computer worked it out on automatic."

He continured to stare in awe. "So we're the first. This piece of ground. No one's ever been here before. Not in the whole of recorded history."

"Did you just? No, sorry, it's nothing." Claude said.

"What did you see?" He says finally turning his attention away from the window.

"Just there. That ridge. Like, like a shadow. Just, just for a second." He looks where the man is pointing.

"What sort of shadow?" An alarm goes off.

"Xtonic rising. Shields down."

"What was it?" He ask as the shields go down.

"Like just something shifting. Something sort of dark, like it was running."

"Running which way?"

"Towards us." Claude says.

"Right, Doctor, back to your seat. And, er, not a word. Rescue's on its way. If you could close the door. Thank you."

He exits the cockpit and runs into sky who is standing by the doors. He explains to her that everything is fine, and the engines just need to stabilize, the group starts to calm down until Dee Dee leans to him and says.

"Excuse me, Doctor, but they're micropetrol engines, aren't they? My father was a mechanic. Micropetrol doesn't stabilize. What does stabilize mean?"

"Well. Bit of flim-flam. Don't worry, they're sorting it out." He admits. "It's just a little pause, that's all."

"How much air have we got?" Hobbes asks.

"Professor, it's fine." He says but val starts freaking out about running out air. Soon her husband has joined her and they are yelling at the hostess. Hearing Dee Dee trying to explain it he yells.

"Everyone! Quiet! Thank you. Now, if you'd care to listen to my good friend Dee Dee."

"Oh. Er, it's just that, well, the air's on a circular filter, so we could stay breathing for ten years."

"There you go. And I've spoken to the Captain. I can guarantee you everything's fine."

But even as he says the words there comes a thump thump on the outside of the aerobus.

"What was that?" Val asked.

"It must be the metal. We're cooling down. It's just settling."

The thumping comes again from another side.

"There's someone out there."

"Now, don't be ridiculous." Hobbes says.

As the Thumping comes again he can't resist saying. "Knock, Knock."

"Who's there?" Jethro replies

"Is there something out there? Well? Anyone?" Sky says shakily. "What the hell is making that noise?"

"I'm sorry, but the light out there is Xtonic. That means it would destroy any living thing in a split second. It is impossible for someone to be outside."

Thump Thump.

"Well, what the hell is that, then?"

He pulls out his stethoscope at puts it on the hull. "Hello," He says as the thumping comes quicker and the emergency door rattles.

"It's trying the door." Val says.

"There is no it. There's nothing out there. Can't be." Hobbes says. but even as he says it the emergency door rattles, then seconds later there are thumps on the roof, followed by more thumps on the side.

"That's the entrance. Can it get in?" Val asked.

Biff heads to the door. "Mister Cane, better not." Biff knocks three times, and gets three thumps in reply.

"Three times. Did you hear that? It did it three times." Val cried out.

"All right, everyone calm down." He said but he was starting to get worried himself. He looked down for Kiam and not seeing the baby right away he frowned. He headed away from the door and saw Kiam sitting in one of the seats. He walked over and picked him up and headed back to the door as Sky said.

"But it answered. It answered. Don't tell me that thing's not alive. It answered him." More thumping came and the hostess tried to take charge.

"I really must insist you get back to your seats."

He knocks on the door four times. There is a long pause before he gets the four thumps in reply. Sky continues to freak out. "What is it? What the hell's making that noise? She said she'd get me. Stop it. Make it stop. Somebody make it stop. Don't just stand there looking at me. It's not my fault. He started it with his stories." She points at him accusingly. "Why didn't you leave it alone? Stop staring at me. Just tell me what the hell it is."

"Calm down!" Dee Dee says as the thumping starts again.

"It's coming for me. Oh, it's coming for me. It's coming for me. It's coming for me. It's coming for me." She backs up to the driver's door and starts screaming. Kiam starts crying and trying his best to comfort the baby as he tells Sky, "Get out of there."


	29. Midnight part 3

The shuttle sounds like it has exploded as it rocks side to side and sparks fly. He hears the music system start again, as the lights go out and they are thrown to the ground. He picks himself up and examines Kiam and then himself. "Arms, legs, neck, head, nose. I'm fine. Everyone else? How are we? Everyone all right?"

"Earthquake. Must be." Hobbes says.

"We've got torches. Everyone take a torch. They're in the back of the seats." He retrieves one and turns it on.

"Oh, Jethro. Sweetheart, come here." Val says.

"Never mind me. what about her?" Jethro ask.

He looks towards the front row and sees the seats have been torn up. Amongst them sits Sky, her hands covering her head.

"What happened to the seats? They've been ripped up." Val panics.

"It's all right, It's over. We're still alive. Look, the wall's still intact. Do you see?" He gestures towards the wall which is intact but dented.  
The Hostess walks to the intercom and presses the button. "Joe, Claude? Driver Joe, can you hear me? I'm not getting any response." She opens the driver's door and bright light floods the cabin and the alarm sounds. She closes the door again.

"What happened? What was that?" Val says panicking again.

"Is it the driver? Have we lost the driver?" Biff ask.

"The cabin's gone. There was nothing there, like it was ripped away."

He heads over to the panel by the door and starts to work on it.

"What are you doing?" Biff says aiming his torchlight at him. "Ah, that's better. Little bit of light. Thank you. Molto bene."

"Do you know what you're doing?" Val asks?

"The cabin's gone. You'd better leave that wall alone." Biff says.

"No, it's safe. Any rupture would automatically seal itself." He says and removes the panel and looks at the wiring. "But something sliced it off. You're right, the cabin's gone."

"But if it gets separated?" The hostess says.

"It loses integrity. I'm sorry, they've been reduced to dust. The driver and the mechanic. But they sent a distress signal. Help is on its way. They saved our lives. We are going to get out of here, I promise. We're still alive, and they are going to find us."

"Doctor, look at her." Jethro says speaking up.

He looks towards Sky. She hadn't moved from her position, her head sill in her hands. "Right. Yes. Sorry. Have we got a medical kit?" He ask.

"Why won't she turn around?" Jethro asks.

"Sky? Can you hear me? Are you all right? Can you move, Sky? Just look at me." He moves closer to her and kneels just behind her placing Kiam by his side as he does so. "Sky? It's all right, Sky. I just want you to turn around, face me." She slowly turns around and stares into the torchlight.

"Sky?"

"Sky?" She repeats.

"Are you all right?"

"Are you all right?"

He tries again. "Are you hurt?"

"Are you hurt?"

"You don't have to talk."

"You don't have to talk."

This was getting irritating. "I'm trying to help."

"I'm trying to help."

"My name's the Doctor."

"My name's the Doctor."

"Okay, can you stop?"

"Okay, can you stop?" she says back to him

"I'd like you to stop."

"I'd like you to stop."

The other's start freaking out and she copies all of them perfectly.

"Shush, shush, shush, all of you."

"Shush, shush, shush, all of you."

"Why are you repeating? What is that, learning? Copying? Absorbing?"

"Why are you repeating? What is that, learning? Copying? Absorbing?"

"The square root of pi is 1.7724538509055160272981674833 41. Wow." She repeats it back perfectly. He was starting to get scared. Nobody should be able to repeat it back perfectly, it was impossible.

People start talking over each other, with Sky still repeating their words. They are getting more and more frantic until finally the lights come back on and everyone goes quiet. He stands up picking Kiam up in the process and stares at Sky.

"That's the back up system." The hostess says.

"Well, that's a bit better." Hobbes replies.

"What about the rescue? How long's it going to take?" Val asks.

"About sixty minutes, that's all." The Hostess says calmly.

"Then I suggest we all calm down. This panic isn't helping. That poor woman is evidently in a state of Self induced hysteria. We should leave her alone." He hears Hobbes and Sky say at the exact same time.

"Doctor." Jethro says.

"I know." He replies not taking his eyes off of her.

"Doctor, now step back. I think you should leave her. Alone. What's she doing?" Hobbes and Sky say.

"How can she do that? She's talking with you. And with me. Oh, my God. Biff, what's she doing?" Val freaks out.

"She's repeating, at exactly the same time." Jethro says.

"I think you should all be very, very quiet. Have you got that?" He says with Sky.

"How's she doing it?" Val yelled with Sky. He was getting very annoyed with Val. "How can she do that? She's got my voice! She's got my words!"

"Just stop it, all of you." He says and turns his attention back to Sky. He kneels in front of her again. Placing Kiam slightly behind him and out of her line of sight. "Now then, Sky. Are you Sky? Is Sky still in there? Mrs Silvestry?" He says with her. "You know exactly what I'm going to say. How are you doing that?" He decides to try random words. "Roast beef. Bananas. The Medusa Cascade. Bang! Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, Tardis. Shamble bobble dibble dooble. Oh, Doctor, you're so handsome. Yes, I am, thank you. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O." He stops and smiles at her as she stops on the exact same letter. "First she repeats, then she catches up. What's the next stage?" He wonders aloud.

"That's not her, is it. That's not Mrs Silvestry any more." Jethro says.

"I don't think so, no. I think the more we talk, the more she learns. Now, I'm all for education, but in this case, maybe not." He stands up and picks up Kiam again and starts to back away from Sky as she continues to talk with him. "Let's just move back. Come on. Come with me. Everyone, get back. All of you, as far as you can." He herds the people towards the back of the bus.

"Doctor, make her stop." Val says to him.

"Val, come with me. Come to the back. Stop looking at her. Come on, Jethro. You too. Everyone, come on. Fifty minutes, that's all we need. Fifty minutes till the rescue arrives. And she's not exactly strong. Look at her. All she's got is our voices." He says trying to calm everyone down.

"I can't, I can't look at her. It's those eyes." Val says.

"She's just a very sick woman." Hobbes says matter of factly.

"Maybe that's why it went for her. Think about it. That knocking went all the way round the bus until it found her. And she was the most scared out of all of us. Maybe that's what it needed. That's how it got in." Jethro says, Sky still repeating the whole time.

"For the last time. Nothing can live on the surface of Midnight." Hobbes says.

"Professor, I'm glad you've got an absolute definition of life in the universe, but perhaps the universe has got ideas of its own, hmm? Now trust me, I've got previous. I think there might well be some consciousness inside Mrs Silvestry, but maybe she's still in there. And it's our job to help her." He tried to explain to them.

"Well, you can help her. I'm not going near." Biff says.

"No, I've got to stay back, because if she's copying us, then maybe the final stage is becoming us. I don't want her becoming me, or things could get a whole lot worse." He shudders to think of her taking on a Timelord mind.

"Oh, like you're so special."

"As it happens, yes, I am. So that's decided. We stay back, and we wait. When the rescue ship comes, we can get her to hospital." He says not wanting to tell the panicking crowd that he wasn't human and Kiam was only half human.

"We should throw her out." The Hostess says suddenly, startling him.

"Can we do that?" Val asks.

"Don't be ridiculous." He says.

"That thing, whatever it is, killed the driver, and the mechanic, and I don't think she's finished yet." The Hostess says. "Look at her. Look at her eyes. She killed Joe, and she killed Claude, and we're next."

"We can't throw her out, though. We can't even open the doors." Biff says.

"No one is getting thrown out." He says firmly.

"Yes, we can. Because there's an air pressure seal. Like when you opened the cabin door, you weren't pulled out. You had a couple of seconds, because it takes the pressure wall about six seconds to collapse. Well, six seconds exactly. That's enough time to throw someone out. " Dee Dee says.

"Thanks, Dee Dee. Just what we needed." He says

"Would it kill her outside?"

"I don't know. But she's got a body now. It would certainly kill the physical form." Dee Dee responds.

"No one is killing anyone." He says.

"I wouldn't risk the cabin door twice, but we've got that one. All we need to do is grab hold of her and throw her out." The hostess says.

"Now, listen, all of you. For all we know that's a brand new life form over there. And if it's come inside to discover us, than what's it found? This little bunch of humans. What do you amount to, murder? Because this is where you decide. You decide who you are. Could you actually murder her? Any of you? Really? Or are you better than that?" He says trying desperately to get through to the group of frightened people.

"I'd do it." The hostess says and the rest agree with her.

"What?" he asks not sure he heard them right.

"I want her out." Dee Dee says. "I'm sorry, but you said it yourself, Doctor. She is growing in strength."

"That's not what I said." He says trying to remain calm.

"I want to go home. I'm sorry. I want to be safe." Dee Dee tells him.

"She's dangerous. It's my job to see that this vessel is safe, and we should get rid of her." The hostess says.

"Now, hang on. I think perhaps we're all going a little bit too far." Hobbes says.

"At last. Thank you." He says relieved he is getting through to at least one person.

"Two people are dead." The hostess says.

"Don't make it a third. Jethro, what do you say?"

"I'm not killing anyone."

"Thank you."

"He's just a boy." Val says.

"What, so I don't get a vote?"

"There isn't a vote. It's not happening. Ever. If you try to throw her out that door, you'll have to get past me first." He says hoping to stop them but they shock him by saying okay. "Oh, now you're being stupid. Just think about it. Could you actually take hold of someone and throw them out of that door?" He challenged them.

"Calling me a coward?" Biff challenged him back.

"Who put you in charge, anyway?" Val asks. They start bombarding him with questions and he tries answering them, getting more and more desperate as he can tell they don't believe him until finally the Hostess says.

"Even if he goes, he's practically volunteered."

"Oh come on, just listen to yourself, please."

"Do you mean we throw him out as well?" Biff ask.

"If we have to." She replies.

"Look, just. Right, sorry, yes, hold on, just. I know you're scared, and so am I. Look at me, I am. But we have all got to calm down and cool off and think." He was truly frightened. He didn't like being stuck here without the Tardis. He wanted desperately to be back on it.

"Perhaps you could tell us your name." Hobbes ask him.

"What does it matter?" He asks.

"Then tell us." The hostess says.

"John Smith." He gives the name he used so many times before.

"No one's called John Smith. Come off it." Biff says.

"Now listen to me. Listen to me right now, because you need me, all of you. If we are going to get out of this, then you need me."

"So you keep saying. You've been repeating yourself more than her." Hobbes says.

"She's stopped." Dee Dee says noticing that Sky isn't talking with them anymore.

"When did she? No, she hasn't. She's still doing it." He says as Sky continues to repeat him and only him.

"Why me? Why are you doing this?" He ask her. He kneels in front of her again with Kiam back at his side.

"She won't leave him alone." Dee Dee says.

"Do you see? I said so. She's with him." Val says.

"How do you explain it, Doctor, if you're so clever?" Hobbes asks him.

"I don't know. Sky, stop it. I said stop it. Just stop it." He yells at Sky. "Sky, I'm trying to understand. You've captured my speech. What for? What do you need? Whatever you want, if it's life, or form, or consciousness, or voice, you don't have to steal it. You can find it without hurting anyone. And I'll help you. That's a promise. So, what do you think?"

"Do we have a deal?" Sky says and he hears himself copying her in a haze. Everything sounds like it is underwater as she talks to the others. His mind feels numb and he is terrified as he tries to fight the creature off and move or talk but to no avail. He can see her just fine though as she stares at him and he sees Hobbes take her hands and help her up away from him.

He is stuck kneeling there as he feels hands grab him roughly from behind and start to drag him. His foot gets caught on the seat and he finds himself staring up at Biff. He moves his eyes to the side and feels anger grows along side the fear as he sees Val holding Kiam and him fighting her crying and reaching down towards him. They get his foot loose and he can tell he is getting closer to the door as he still struggles to fight the creature.

He watches as the hostess grabs Sky and rushes her towards the entrance door. She presses the button and everyone screams as the bright light floods in. He is screaming with the creature as pain rips through his body. Then as The hostess and Sky are sucked out and the door closes, his mind is released and he is free again. The men drop him roughly and all he can do is lay there and say. "It's gone." Val releases Kiam and he feels little hands grabbing on to his coat. He pulls himself up into a sitting position, comforting his son.

"I said it was her." Val says and he looks at her with hatred in his eyes until she looks away.

-DW-

They returned to the spa. He walked over to Donna and hugged her tightly taking comfort in the fact she cared about him. He wanted to leave immediately but she wanted to know what happened, so he told her everything. Then he told the Leisure Palace staff, telling them to move the Palace and hoping they would listen.

He led Donna back to the Tardis and climbed aboard happy to be home.  
"I'm going to take a shower," He says, setting Kiam down in his play pen. He stands under the hot water for almost an hour trying to wash away the days events. Failing that he went to his room, got dressed for bed and climbed under the covers. He laid there in shock. He was disappointed in the humans he had saved so many times. When he had been at his weakest they had tried to kill him.

His door opened as Donna entered the room. She had camped out her a lot recently. He lay there pretending to be asleep as she got into the bed. "Spaceman," She said quietly.

He turned to look at her and noticed Kiam wasn't between them like normal. He looked at her confused. "He is asleep in his playpen," She answered his unspoken question and opened her arms. He moved over to her and she held him as the tears flowed down his cheeks and he cried silently. He cried until there were no tears left and then he fell asleep in her arms finally feeling safe for the first time since the whole ordeal began earlier that day on Midnight.


	30. The Stolen Earth

Two months had passed since they had left the planet Midnight. The events on the planet still gave him nightmares when he allowed himself to sleep, but the days were back to normal as he showed them time and space. He had taken Donna to New, New York and she had pulled him and Kiam from shop to shop until his arms were loaded with bags. When she tried to buy him a flannel looking shirt, he had put his foot down and insisted they head back to the Tardis and call it a day.

They had also gone to one of his favorite planets, the oriental planet of Shan Shen. They walked the streets and he got her to reluctantly try a foaming drink. He had walked over to check out one of the little shop's trinkets and when he turned back around she was gone.

"Rule one," he looked at Kiam and smiled. "I bet if I let go of your hand you wouldn't follow rule one either." To test his theory he releases Kiam's hand and the baby takes off. "Thought not," he says laughing as he runs after him. As he run's past a tent he hears Donna scream. He quickly catches up to Kiam and grabs him up and heads towards the tent.

"Everything all right?" He ask seeing a woman disappear through the back of the tent.

"Oh, God." Donna says and walks over and hugs him. She is pale and shaking. He hugs her back until she pulls away sheepishly.

"What was that for?"

"I don't know."

"What happened." She tells him the story the best she can remember and he notices a giant dead beetle still on the ground. He can't resist as he passes Kiam to Donna and starts to poke the beetle with a stick. He notices the look on her face and realizes he is smiling. He quickly stops and starts examining the beetle instead.

"I can't remember. It's slipping away. You know like when you try and think of a dream and it just sort of goes."

"Just got lucky, this thing. It's one of the Trickster's Brigade. Changes a life in tiny little ways. Most times, the universe just compensates around it, but with you? Great big parallel world."

"Hold on. You said parallel worlds are sealed off." She remembered the conversation about Rose clearly.

"They are. But you had one created around you. Funny thing is, seems to be happening a lot to you. Sometimes I think there's way too much coincidence around you, Donna. I met you once, then I met your grandfather, then I met you again. In the whole wide universe, I met you for a second time. It's like something's binding us together."

"Don't be so daft. I'm nothing special."

"Yes, you are. You're brilliant." He grinned up at her again.

"She said that," Donna remembered suddenly.

"Who did?"

"That woman. I can't remember."

"Well, she never existed now."

"No, but she said the stars. She said the stars are going out."

"Yeah, but that world's gone."

"No, but she said it was all worlds. Every world. She said the darkness is coming even here."

"No, no it can't be he thought." "Who was she?

"I don't know."

"What did she look like?"

"She was blonde." Rose. But it couldn't be Rose, she was in Pete's world. But she had done the impossible before when she had taken in the heart of the Tardis.

"What was her name?" He demanded to Donna, hoping that she would remember.

"I don't know. But she told me to warn you. She said two words."

"What two words? What were they? What did she say?" He asked her frantically.

"Bad Wolf." His eyes went wide. He had never told Donna that name." He stood up and ran outside as she called after him "Well, what does it mean?" He froze. Every where he looked the Tardis translated the written word to Bad Wolf. As he ran to the Tardis he noticed the outside no longer said Police Box, but Bad Wolf as well. "No," he kept saying to himself "This was impossible." but even as he said the words he knew it wasn't true.

He opens the doors and runs inside the Tardis and stops. The inside is lit by red emergency lighting, and he hears the cloister bell tolling.

"Doctor, what is it? What's Bad Wolf?" He hears Donna asking behind him as he stands in shock.

The walls between the dimensions were down again, reality was going collapse and he had to find a way to stop it. "It's the end of the universe." he finally said. He runs over to the console and sets the Tardis in motion to get back to earth.

"So what is Bad Wolf," She asks him again.

He slowly looks up at her, "Rose," and he hears her gasp. The Tardis lands on a street and he rushes out. Looking around quickly.

"It's fine. Everything's fine. Nothing's wrong, all fine. Excuse me. What day is it?" He calls to a gentleman nearby.

"Saturday."

"Saturday. Good. Good, I like Saturdays."

"So, I just met Rose Tyler?" Donna ask trying to continue there earlier conversation. He nods. "But she's locked away in a parallel world."

"Exactly. If she can cross from her parallel world to your parallel world, than that means the walls of the universe are breaking down, which puts everything in danger. Everything. But how?" He blocks Kiam who is trying to exit the Tardis and he and Donna head back on.  
He heads over to the controls and starts setting the Tardis to run a scan.

"The thing is, Doctor, no matter what's happening, and I'm sure it's bad, I get that but, Rose is coming back. Isn't that good?"

He wanted Rose back more than anything. He tried not to think of her too much during the time she had been gone. But their son had made that hard, every time he looked in the boy's eyes he saw Rose looking back at him. But she was coming back now. He grinned at Donna happily.

"Yeah." He went back to setting the controls when they heard a loud bang outside. "What the hell was that?" Donna asked.

"Don't know. It came from outside." He grabbed Kiam and in the same motion handed him to Donna and then ran to the doors. He looked out and only saw blackness and a few rocks floating nearby. He ran quickly back to the scanner leaving the doors wide open.

"But we're in space. How did that happen? What did you do?"

He checked the scanner readings feeling annoyed at her accusation that he had done something wrong. "We haven't moved. We're fixed. It can't have. No. The Tardis is still in the same place, but the Earth has gone. The entire planet. It's gone."

"But if the Earth's been moved, they've lost the Sun. What about my Mum? And Granddad? They're dead, aren't they? Are they dead?"

She looked so sad and broken that he wanted to tell her a comforting lie, but he couldn't lie to her. "I don't know, Donna. I just don't know. I'm sorry, I don't know."

She hugged Kiam close to her for comfort. "That's my family. My whole world."

He went back to the scanners "There's no readings. Nothing. Not a trace. Not even a whisper. Oh, that is fearsome technology."

"So what do we do?"

"We've got to get help."

"From where?" She asked.

"Donna, I'm taking you to the Shadow Proclamation. Hold tight." He pulled on the lever and the Tardis jerked in it's take off.

"So go on then, what is the Shadow Proclamation anyway?"

"Posh name for police. Outer space police. Here we go."

-DW-

Having discovered from the Shadow Proclamation that Earth was only one of twenty seven planets that had been taken from space and time, he was  
now following the trail of the Bees. Donna was amazed to find out that some of the bee's were actually aliens from the planet Melissa Majoria. Their trail was infinitely small but he was able to find it using the Tardis. Though the trail was scattered and hard to follow.

At last the Tardis came to stop. "It's stopped." He told Donna.

"What do you mean? Is that good or bad? Where are we?" she asked.

"The Medusa Cascade. I came here when I was just a kid, ninety years old. It was the center of a rift in time and space."

"So, where are the twenty seven planets?"

"Nowhere. The Tandocca Trail stops dead. End of the line."

"So what do we do? Doctor, what do we do?" He looked down sadly. He didn't know what to do. The trail had been his last hope and the trail was gone. He heard Donna pleading with him not to give up. She wanted her family back. He understood that. He had come to call the Earth his home as well and he felt as helpless as when he had watched Gallifrey burn. But that had been done by his own hands. He looked down at his hands as though they had betrayed him. A ringing sound snaps him out of his stupor.

"Phone!" He says happily and answers it. "Martha, is that you?." he asks as he brings the phone to his ear but all he hears is a buzzing noise. "It's a signal." He tells Donna.

"Can we follow it?" she ask him.

He pulls out his stethoscope to hear it better. "Oh, just watch me." Got it. Locking on. We're travelling through time. One second in the future. The phone call's pulling us through." The Tardis shakes violently as the signal pulls them into the Medusa Cascade. The shaking stops and he looks at the scanner again

"The entire Medusa Cascade has been put a second out of sync with the rest of the universe. Perfect hiding place. Tiny little pocket of time. But we found them." He notices another signal hidden underneath the first, visible now that they were back in sync with the planet Earth. "What's that? Hold on." He hits more buttons to bring it up. "Some sort of Subwave Network."

The screen changes before them and to his happiness he sees his old companions staring back at him.

"Where the hell have you been? Doctor, it's the Daleks." Jack says.

"It's the Daleks. They're taking people to their spaceship."

"Sarah Jane. Who's that boy?" He says looking at her corner of the screen and then looks at another corner and points to it. That must be Torchwood. Oh, they're brilliant. Look at you all, you clever people."

"That's Martha." Donna says. "It's like an outer space Facebook.

"Everyone except Rose." He says sadly as the scanner goes blank.

"We've lost them."

"There's another signal coming through. There's someone else out there." He tries to pull it up, "Hello? Can you hear me?" Then he adds hopefully. "Rose?"

"Your voice is different, and yet its arrogance is unchanged. Welcome to my new Empire, Doctor. It is only fitting that you should bear witness to the resurrection and the triumph of Davros, lord and creator of the Dalek race."

He freezes. He can't breath. No, no it can't be him. Not again.

"Doctor?" Donna sounds concerned.

"Have you nothing to say?" Davros taunts him.

"Doctor, it's all right. We're, we're in the Tardis. We're safe." But he knew they were not. Not if Davros was alive.

"But you were destroyed. In the very first year of the Time War, at the Gates of Elysium. I saw your command ship fly into the jaws of the Nightmare Child. I tried to save you." He tells Davros finding his voice at last.

"But it took one stronger than you. Dalek Caan himself. Emergency Temporal Shift took him back into the Time War itself."

"But that's impossible. The entire War is timelocked."

"And yet he succeeded. Oh, it cost him his mind, but imagine. A single, simple Dalek succeeded where Emperors and Time Lords have failed. A testament, don't you think, to my remarkable creations?"

"And you made a new race of Daleks?" He asked but he all ready knew the answer.

"I gave myself to them, quite literally. Each one grown from a cell of my own body." He tries not to wince as Davros opens up his tunic to reveal his bare ribs with just a few nerve endings over them, and his internal organs inside. He feels sick. " New Daleks. True Daleks. I have my children, Doctor. What do you have, now?"

He doesn't answer his last question, Davros didn't need to know. "After all this time, everything we saw, everything we lost, I have only one thing to say to you." He throws a lever on the Tardis and it takes off. "Bye!"


	31. The Stolen Earth Part 2

He lands the Tardis in London and exit's it with Donna and Kiam. They stand outside the Tardis and look around at the quiet streets that are normally so busy with people.

"Like a ghost town." Donna says quietly.

"Sarah Jane said they were taking the people. What for? Think, Donna.  
When you met Rose in that parallel world, what did she say?" He need more information.

"Just, the darkness is coming." Donna replied.

"Anything else?"

Donna looks over his shoulder "Why don't you ask her yourself?"

His breath leaves his body. Not daring to believe her, he turns around slowly and there she is his beautiful Rose walking down the street towards them. He passes Kiam's hand to Donna and starts walking towards her and then not being to help himself, he starts to run. The world seems to disappear around them and all he can see is her.

The word "Exterminate." Makes him stumble and he feels the Dalek's ray graze his body, knocking him down. He hears a shot and an explosion as the Dalek is taken out. Then she is to next to him. She lifts up his head and holds it gently in his hands. "I've got you. It missed you. Look, it's me, Doctor."

"Rose."

"Hi." She says smiling at him with the smile he missed so much.

"Long time no see." He says.

"Yeah. Been busy, you know." Pain rips through his body as he feels his organs starting to shut down. "Don't die. Oh, my God. Don't die." She says. Jack appears followed by Donna with Kiam in her arms. He didn't want Kiam to see this. He notices Rose's eyes turn towards the little boy with wonder on her face as she tries to figure out if that is the son she had left behind. Jack and Rose help him up and he hears Jack giving the order. "Get him into the Tardis, quick. Move."

They somehow get him into the tardis and lay him on the cold steel as Rose holds his head. "What, what do we do?. There must be some medicine or something." Donna is panicking and Jack takes Kiam from her, stepping away.

"Just step back. Rose, do as I say, and get back." He hears Jack say as the pain grows worse. "He's dying and you know what happens next."

"What do you mean? He can't." Donna says.

"Oh, no. I came all this way." She looks at him sadly.

"What do you mean, what happens next?" He had never explained the process of Regeneration to Donna, but he realizes she is about to find out as he holds up his hand and sees it is starting to glow. "It's starting." He says and watches as Jack grabs Rose and pulls her back to him and Donna.

"Here we go. Good luck, Doctor." Jack says.

"Will someone please tell me what is going on?."

"When he's dying, his er, his body, it repairs itself. It changes. But you can't!" She looks at him so sad and desperate and as he pulls himself up onto his feet. He looks at them one last time and is thankful to see Jack trying to keep Kiam turned away from him. He didn't want his son to see this. "I'm sorry, it's too late. I'm regenerating," As the energy over takes his body and he feels the changes start.

But he isn't ready to go not yet. He forces the Regeneration energy to heal his body and then using all the effort he has left he turns his body and points at the jar with his hand in it, forcing the Energy into his spare hand. The Energy flows into it and he stops glowing.

He turns to his companions. "Now then. Where were we?" He says seeing there stunned looks. He smiles and leans down to the hand and blows the rest of the energy away from it.

"You see? Used the regeneration energy to heal myself, but soon as I was done, I didn't need to change. I didn't want to. Why would I? Look at me. So, to stop the energy going all the way, I siphoned off the rest into a handy bio-matching receptacle, namely my hand. My hand there. My handy spare hand. Remember? Christmas Day, Sycorax. Lost my hand in a sword fight? That's my hand. What do you think?" He rambles on at there stunned faces, until finally Rose steps forward.

"You're still you?" She says.

"I'm still me." He says and gives her a hug. "And there is someone I would like you to meet." He walks over to Jack and takes Kiam from his arms. "Rose I would like to introduce your son, Kiam."

"He's gotten so big." she says in amazement, her eyes filled with tears.

"Well it has been almost two years." He replies.

"I know, I just always.." she cuts off.

"What," he ask.

"I just always pictured him as the tiny baby, I was taken from." As the tears start running down her cheeks. He pulls her to him and holds her tightly. The power flickers and then shuts off. He releases Rose. and hands Kiam back to Donna out of habit. He heads over to the console and looks at the readings.

"They've got us. Power's gone. Some kind of chronon loop." The Tardis jerks and he watches the readings as it starts to move.

"There's a massive Dalek ship at the centre of the planets. They're calling it the Crucible. Guess that's our destination." Jack says.

"Rose, you've been in a parallel world. That world's running ahead of this universe. You've seen the future. What was it?"

"It's the darkness." She replies. "The stars were going out ,One by one. We looked up at the sky and they were just dying. Basically, we've been building this, er, this travel machine, this, this er, dimension cannon, so I could. Well, so I could," She stutters and stops.

"What?" He ask.

"So I could come back. Shut up." She tells him as a giant grin covers his face. "Anyway, suddenly, it started to work and the dimensions started to collapse. Not just in our world, not just in yours, but the whole of reality. Even the Void was dead. Something is destroying everything."

"In that parallel world, you said something about me." Donna says.

"The dimension cannon could measure timelines, and it's, it's weird, Donna, but they all seemed to converge on you."

"But why me? I mean, what have I ever done? I'm a temp from Chiswick." Donna says.

He looks back as his scanner as it begins to beep. "The Dalek Crucible. All aboard."

"Doctor, you will step forth or die." A dalek voice says over the speakers as the Tardis lands.

"We'll have to go out. Because if we don't, they'll get in." He says to the others.

"You told me nothing could get through those doors." Rose says sounding surprised.

"Last time we fought the Daleks, they were scavengers and hybrids, and mad." He takes her gently by the arms, just wanting to feel her and know she is really there. "But this is a fully-fledged Dalek Empire, at the height of its power. Experts at fighting Tardises, they can do anything. Right now, that wooden door is just wood."

"What about your dimension jump?" Jack asks Rose.

"It needs another twenty minutes. And anyway, I'm not leaving." She tells Jack.

"What about your teleport?" The Doctor ask Jack, hoping he could at least take Kiam off the crucible and to some sort of safety.

"Went down with the power loss." Jack tells him crushing his hopes.

"Right then. All of us together. Yeah. Donna?" He turns to look at her and sees the glazed look on her face. He releases Rose and goes over to Donna, gently taking her shoulder. "Donna" he says softly and she turns and looks at him.

"Yeah." She finally answers.

"I'm sorry. There's nothing else we can do." He tells her.

"No, I know."

He tries stalling for time one last time before heading out to face the Daleks. "It's been good, though, hasn't it?" He says. "All of us. All of it. Everything we did." He turns to Donna. "You were brilliant." Then Jack "And you were brilliant." "And you were brilliant. Blimey." He takes a deep breath and opens the doors to the Tardis and steps out with Donna lagging behind, Kiam still in her arms.

The Daleks are celebrating and he realizes that Donna is still on the Tardis. "Donna! You're no safer in there," He calls out to her. The door slams shut trapping her and Kiam inside. "What" he says.

He hears Donna on the other side of the Door. "Doctor? What have you done?"

"It wasn't me. I didn't do anything." He says terrified.

"Oi! Oi, We're not staying behind!" she calls through the door.

He turns towards the Daleks angry. "What did you do?!" He says.

"This is not of Dalek origin." A red Dalek tells him.

"Stop it! She's my friend and that is my son. Now open the door and let them out."

"This is Time Lord treachery." The Dalek responds.

"Me? The door just closed on its own." He yells at them.

"Nevertheless, the Tardis is a weapon and it will be destroyed."

His hearts jump into his throat as a trapdoor opens beneath the Tardis and it falls away.

"What are you doing? Bring it back!" He is panicking. "What have you done? Where's it going?"

"The Crucible has a heart of Z-neutrino energy. The Tardis will be deposited into the core."

"You can't. You've taken the defences down. It'll be torn apart!"

"But Donna and Kiam are still in there!" Rose yells.

"Let them go!" Jack demands.

"The female, the Child and the Tardis will perish together. Observe. The last child of Gallifrey is powerless."

An image of the Tardis bobbing in the molten core appears. He starts to plead with them "Please. I'm begging you. I'll do anything! Put me in their place." They ignore him and he raises his voice. "You can do anything to me, I don't care, just get them out of there!"

"Total Tardis destruction in ten rels." They count down to one while he uses those ten seconds to come up with anything to get them out. He feels a piece of him die as he watches the Tardis vanish.

"The Tardis has been destroyed. Now tell me, Doctor. What do you feel? Anger? Sorrow? Despair?"

Numb, "Yeah." He answers. Donna was gone. He couldn't think of Kiam being in there too, if he did he didn't think he could save anyone else. He looked down not wanting to look at Rose knowing he had failed her. He had kept their son alive for almost two years and right as she was reunited with them he had failed. Tears streamed silently down his cheeks.

"Then if emotions are so important, surely we have enhanced you?" The Dalek Taunted him.

"Yeah? Feel this!" He hears Jack say followed by the sound of a gun shot.

"Exterminate!" He hears the Dalek's ray guns and then Rose screaming. "Jack. Oh, my God."

"Rose, come here. Leave him." He says finally lifting up his head and heading over to her.

"They killed him." She was crying too.

"I know. I'm sorry." he says, realizing she doesn't know about Jack.

"Escort them to the Vault. They are the playthings of Davros now."

He goes with the Daleks barely trusting his legs to keep going. "Kiam is dead." just kept repeating over and over in his head. "Oh god let this be a dream." He pinches his arm and feels the pain. He looks over at Jack and sees Jack blink. He catches Jack's eyes and then turns away.

They are lead down to the vaults and separated from each other. "Activate the holding cells." He hears one of them say and a beam comes down and surrounds them.

"Excellent. Even when powerless, a Time Lord is best contained." Davros taunts him.

"Still scared of me, then?" He says barely trusting his own voice.

"It is time we talked, Doctor. After so very long."

"No. We're not doing the nostalgia tour." He was angry. He let the anger flow through him and over take the pain he was feeling. "I want to know what's happening right here, right now, because the Supreme Dalek said Vault, yeah? As in dungeon, cellar, prison." It dawned on him and he could have smiled. "You're not in charge of the Daleks, are you? They've got you locked away down here in the basement like, what, a servant? Slave?"

"We have an arrangement." Davros says.

"No, I've got the word. You're the Dalek's pet!"

"So very full of fire, is he not." Davros heads over to Rose. "And to think you crossed entire universes, striding parallel to parallel to find him again."

"Leave her alone." He screams at Davros.

"She is mine to do as I please."

"Then why am I still alive?" She ask and the pain flows over him all over again as he hears how broken she sounds. He dares a look at her and sees his once strong Rose Tyler about to fall apart.

"You must be here. It was foretold. Even the Supreme Dalek would not dare to contradict the prophecies of Dalek Caan."

"So cold and dark. Fire is coming. The endless flames." Caan Laughed.

"What is that thing?" She asked.

"You've met before. The last of the Cult of Skaro." That horrible day, he adds silently to himself. "But it flew into the Time War, unprotected."

"Caan did more than that. He saw time. Its infinite complexity and majesty, raging through his mind. And he saw you. Both of you."

"This I have foreseen, in the wild and the wind. The Doctor will be here as witness, at the end of everything. The Doctor and his precious Children of Time. And one of them will die." Caan laughs again.

"Was it you, Caan? Did you kill Donna and Kiam?" His voice catches as he says the name, but he continues. "Why did the Tardis door close? Tell me!" The anger is back.

"Oh, that's it. The anger, the fire, the rage of a Time Lord who butchered millions. There he is. Why so shy? Show your companion. Show her your true self. Dalek Caan has promised me that too."

"I have seen. At the time of ending, the Doctor's soul will be revealed."

"What does that mean?"

"We will discover it together. Our final journey. Because the ending approaches. The testing begins." Davros tells him.

"Testing of what?"

"The Reality bomb." Davros turns towards a screen and he looks at it. He sees a group of people standing there. Now knowing what the twenty seven planets were taken for he pleads with Davros.

"No, Davros. Davros, you can't! You can't! No!" But he watches feeling helpless as the prisoners are disintegrated.

"Doctor what happened." Rose asks but he can't answer her. After a pause he hears Davros explain that the reality bomb can dissolve everything in the universe, changing everything in its path to smaller and smaller particles until they are nothing.

"This is my ultimate victory, Doctor! The destruction of reality itself!" Davros says to him.

"This message is for the Dalek Crucible. Repeat. Can you hear me?" He hears Martha say.

"Put me through." He says, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It begins As Dalek Caan foretold." Davros gloats.

"Put me through!" He says again his voice a little stronger this time.

Martha appears on the screen. "Doctor! I'm sorry, I had to."

"Oh, but the Doctor is powerless. My prisoner. State your intent." Davros says.

"I've got the Osterhagen Key. Leave this planet and its people alone or I'll use it."

"Osterhagen what?" he had never heard of it. "What's an Osterhagen Key?"

"There's a chain of twenty five nuclear warheads placed in strategic points beneath the Earth's crust. If I use the key, they detonate and the Earth gets ripped apart." Martha says.

"What? Who invented that?" Feeling slightly dumb at his statement. "Well, someone called Osterhagen, I suppose." He couldn't believe she would even suggest such a thing. "Martha, are you insane?"

"The Osterhagen Key is to be used if the suffering of the human race is so great, so without hope, that this becomes the final option." She explains.

"That's never an option." He says coldly.

"Don't argue with me, Doctor, because it's more than that. Now, I reckon the Daleks need these twenty seven planets for something. But what if it becomes twenty six? What happens then? Daleks? Would you risk it?"

"She's good." Rose says.

"Who's that?" Martha asks.

"My name's Rose. Rose Tyler." She tells Martha.

"Oh, my God. He found you." Martha says.

A second image appears on the screen. "Captain Jack Harkness, calling all Dalek boys and girls. Are you receiving me? Don't send in your goons, or I'll set this thing off." He sees two people standing with Jack.

"He's still alive." Rose says and then noticing the people with Jack. "Oh, my god. That, that's my mum." She says.

"And Mickey. Captain, what are you doing?" He says.

"I've got a Warp Star wired into the mainframe. I break this shell, the entire Crucible goes up."

"You can't! Where did you get a Warp Star?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. First that bloody key, now this."

"From me." Sarah Jane appears on the screen with Jack. "We had no choice. We saw what happened to the prisoners."

"Impossible. That face. After all these years." Davros says.

"Davros. It's been quite a while. Sarah Jane Smith. Remember?"

"Oh, this is meant to be. The circle of Time is closing. You were there on Skaro at the very beginning of my creation."

"And I've learnt how to fight since then. You let the Doctor go, or this Warp Star gets opened."

"I'll do it. Don't imagine I wouldn't." Jack says.

"Now that's what I call a ransom." Rose sounds happy. "Doctor?" she says but he can't answer. After Kiam and Donna died his hearts had been broken and he didn't think they could hurt anymore until this. He felt as though they had been ripped from his chest and were being stomped on. He couldn't even begin to express his disappointment and the scene unfolding in front of him. All these people he called friends. They had all been so kind in the beginning and he had turned them all into killers.

"And the prophecy unfolds." Davros begins as though he could read his mind he continued. "The man who abhors violence, never carrying a gun. But this is the truth, Doctor. You take ordinary people and you fashion them into weapons. Behold your Children of Time transformed into murderers. I made the Daleks, Doctor. You made this."

"They're trying to help." He says finally finding his voice again.

"Already I have seen them sacrifice today, for their beloved Doctor. The Earth woman who fell opening the Subwave Network."

"Who was that?" He ask.

"Harriet Jones. She gave her life to get you here."

"How many more? Just think. How many have died in your name? The Doctor. The man who keeps running, never looking back because he dare not, out of shame. This is my final victory, Doctor. I have shown you yourself."

There is a flash of light and all of his companions on the screen are standing in the vault with him. Jack starts to head towards him.

"Don't move, all of you. Stay still." he says.

"Guard them! On your knees, all of you. Surrender!" Davrose demands.

Not wanting to see anymore deaths he tells them to listen to Davros and watches them get on their knees, hands in the air.

"The final prophecy is in place. The Doctor and his children, all gathered as witnesses. Supreme Dalek, the time has come. Now, detonate the Reality bomb!"

"You can't, Davros! Just listen to me! Just stop!"

"Ah, ha, ha, ha! Nothing can stop the detonation. Nothing and no one!"


	32. Journey's End

The Familiar noise of the Tardis fills the air and he watches it materialize and then to his utter amazement sees himself run out holding a gun.

"Don't," He yells catching on quickly to the plan. He watches Davros zap the second Doctor and the Doctor drops the gun in pain.

"Activate holding cell."

Donna next runs out of the Tardis and grabs the gun. " Doctor! I've got it. But I don't know what to do!" He watches in horror as Davros zaps Donna and sends her flying backwards and once again the gun falls to the floor. As much as he wants to see Kiam and make sure he is okay, he just hopes they had enough sense to confine him before starting with their plan.

"Donna! Donna! Are you all right, Donna?" He screams for his best friend.

The weapon is destroyed and Davros tells him "I was wrong about your warriors, Doctor. They are pathetic."

"How comes there are two of you?" Rose asks him.

"Human biological metacrisis." He says as he realizes the truth. "Never mind that. Now we've got no way of stopping the Reality Bomb."

"Stand witness, Time Lord. Stand witness, humans. Your strategies have failed, your weapons are useless, and. Oh. The end of the universe has come." Davros gloats again.

"Mmm, closing all Z-neutrino relay loops using an internalised synchronous back-feed reversal loop." He looks towards Donna's voice. Not believing what he is hearing as she stops the reality bomb. "That button there." She press a button on the panel.

"Donna, you can't even change a plug." He says in amazement.

"Do you want to bet, Time Boy?" She says and hits a lever and stops Davros. He watches in amazement as she sends cancels out there weapons.

"How did you work that out? You're..."

"Time Lord. Part Time Lord." The Metacrisis says.

"Part human. Oh, yes. That was a two-way biological metacrisis. Half Doctor, half Donna." She gloats.

"The Doctor Donna. Just like the Ood said, remember? They saw it coming. The Doctor Donna." He says in amazement.

"Holding cells deactivated. And seal the Vault. Well, don't just stand there, you skinny boys in suits. Get to work." He watches the Metacrises run straight to the controls. He runs to the Tardis first and peeks inside, breathing a sigh of relief to see Kiam standing in his playpen waiting for them. He goes back to the controls to help the others.

"Stop them! Get them away from the controls."

"And spin." She says. she plays with the Daleks controls.

Together they start sending the planets back to there rightful places.

"We need more power!" He says.

"Is anyone going to tell us what's going on?" Rose ask.

"He poured all his regeneration energy into his spare hand. I touched the hand, and he grew out of that but that fed back into me. But, it just stayed dormant in my head till the synapses got that little extra spark, kicking them into life. Thank you, Davros! Part human, part Time Lord. And I got the best bit of the Doctor. I got his mind."

"So there's three of you?" Sarah Jane says in amazement.

"Three Doctors?" Rose says.

"I can't tell you what I'm thinking right now." Jack eyes him.

"You're so unique the timelines were converging on you. Human being with a Time Lord brain." He stares at Donna in amazement.

"But you promised me, Dalek Caan. Why did you not foresee this?" Davros yells.

"Oh, I think he did. Something's been manipulating the timelines for ages, getting Donna Noble to the right place at the right time."

"This would always have happened. I only helped, Doctor." Caan says.

"You betrayed the Daleks." Davros screams at him.

"I saw the Daleks. What we have done, throughout time and space, I saw the truth of us, Creator, and I decreed, no more!" Caan laughs with glee.

"Heads up!" Jack yells as the Red Dalek enters the Vault.

"Davros, you have betrayed us." The Dalek says. The Vault will be purged. You will all be exterminated." He zaps the control panel.

Jack fires an extended pulse from his big gun and the Dalek explodes.

"Oh, we've lost the magnetron. And there's only one planet left. Oh, guess which one." Of course. "But we can use the Tardis."

He runs into the Tardis and heads the playpen first wanting to hold Kiam, he heads to the control panel. Getting to work he hears explosions and rushes out of the Tardis again.

"What have you done?"

"Fulfilling the prophecy." The Metacrisis answers.

"Do you know what you've done? Now get in the Tardis! Everyone! All of you, inside! Run!" He herds them all inside and hears the Metacrisis naming them as they enter.

But there is one last person who is not moving. "Davros? Come with me. I promise I can save you."

"Never forget, Doctor, you did this. I name you. Forever, you are the Destroyer of the Worlds!" Flames leap up and he heads back into the Tardis and pulls the lever to get it off of the crucible, as the crucible explodes.

"But what about the Earth? It's stuck in the wrong part of space." Sarah asks him.

"I'm on it." He pulls the screen around. "Torchwood Hub, this is the Doctor. Are you receiving me?"

"Loud and clear." A female answers. "Is Jack there?" She ask.

"Can't get rid of him." He turns to Jack, "what's her name?"

"Gwen Cooper." Jack responds.

"Now, Torchwood, I want you to open up that Rift Manipulator. Send all the power to me."

"Doing it now, sir." Ianto responds.

"What's that for?" Donna ask him.

"It's a tow rope. Now then. Sarah, what was your son's name?"

"Luke. He's called Luke. And the computer's called Mister Smith." She says happily.

"Calling Luke and Mister Smith. This is the Doctor. Come on, Luke. Shake a leg."

"Is Mum there?" Luke responds.

Using K-9 to give the computer the codes, he has Mr. Smith loop the rift power around the Tardis to pull the earth home.

"Now then, you lot." He walks around the console positioning them at various places" Do you know why this Tardis always is always rattling about the place? It's designed to have six pilots, and I have to do it single handed. Now we can fly this thing." He pauses seeing Jackie. "No, Jackie. Not you. Don't touch anything. Just stand back." She looks at him insulted but he finishes his thought "Like it's meant to be flown. We've got the Torchwood Rift looped around the Tardis by Mister Smith, and we're going to fly Planet Earth back home. Right then. Off we go." He reaches the main position again and pulls the lever.

They tow the Earth back home and release it. He takes the Tardis and parks it in a small park in London. He sets Kiam down and heads outside with Sarah.

"You know, you act like such a lonely man. But look at you. You've got the biggest family on Earth." She hugs him before rushing off. "Oh! Got to go. He's only fourteen. It's a long story. And thank you!"

Jack steps off next with Martha. He grabs Jack's arm and sonics his bracelet again. "I told you, no teleport. And, Martha, get rid of that Osterhagen thing, eh? Save the world one more time."

"Consider it done." She says.

They both salute the Doctor, and he returns it watching them walk away. Mickey starts to head past him.

"Oi, where are you going?"

"Well, I'm not stupid. I can work out what happens next. And hey, I had a good time in that parallel world, but my gran passed away. Nice and peaceful. She spent her last years living in a mansion. There's nothing there for me now, certainly not Rose."

"What will you do?" he asks him.

"Anything. Brand new life. Just you watch. See you, boss. Hey, you two!"

"Just time for one last trip. Dårlig Ulv Stranden."

He lets the Metacrisis and Donna take them there as he sits on the floor of the Tardis with Kiam and Rose.

"I can't believe how big he has gotten." She says again in amazement at her son. She looks at him. "I've missed you so much."

"Me too." He puts his arm around her and pulls her close just wanting to hold her. She puts her head on his shoulder and they sit there until the Tardis lands.

He watches the Metacrisis and Jackie step of the Tardis first and then steps out with Rose and Donna. Holding Kiam's hand. He releases it as they step onto the beach, letting him play in the sand.

"Hold on, this is the parallel universe, right?" Rose says.

"You're back home." He tells her.

"And the walls of the world are closing again, now that the Reality Bomb never happened. It's dimensional retroclosure. See, I really get that stuff now." Donna says happily.

"No, but I spent all that time trying to find you. I'm not going back now." Rose tells him.

"But you've got to. Because we saved the universe, but at a cost. And the cost is him. He destroyed the Daleks. He committed genocide. He's too dangerous to be left on his own."

"You made me." The second Doctor says.

"Exactly. You were born in battle, full of blood and anger and revenge. Remind you of someone? That's me, when we first met. And you made me better. Now you can do the same for him." He stands on one side of her and the Metacrisis stands on the other.

"But he's not you." Rose says.

"He needs you. That's very me." He says to Rose.

"But it's better than that, though. Don't you see what he's trying to give you? Tell her. Go on." Donna says.

"I look like him and I think like him. Same memories, same thoughts, same everything. Except I've only got one heart." The Second Doctor says.

"Which means?

"I'm part human. Specifically, the aging part. I'll grow old and never regenerate. I've only got one life, Rose Tyler. I could spend it with you, if you want."

"You'll grow old at the same time as me?" Rose says.

"Together." He tells her.

The Tardis engine starts making noise. "We've got to go. This reality is sealing itself off for ever."

"But, it's still not right, because the Doctor's still you." Rose says looking at him.

"And I'm him." He gestures at the Second Doctor trying desperately to make her see.

"All right. Both of you, answer me this. When I last stood on this beach, on the worst day of my life, what was the last thing you said to me? Go on, say it." Rose says looking at him.

"I said, Rose Tyler." He tells her.

"Yeah, and how was that sentence going to end?"

"Does it need saying?" He says not wanting to say the words.

"And you, Doctor? What was the end of that sentence?" He watches the Metacrisis lean over and whisper in her ear. She grabs him and pulls him into a kiss.

He turns and heads to the Tardis and letting Donna get on first he closes the door, leaving Kiam outside with the rest. He had come to the decision as he sat there with Rose. He thought for the third time in his son's short life that he had killed him. He couldn't keep doing it, he had to make sure Kiam was safe. He saw Donna look at him confused as she realized the little boy was not on board with them.

Not daring to speak he walks over to the console and starts setting the switches to head back to their reality. From the door he hears crying and the pounding of a little hand. "Da da," Kiam's first words come through the door. Tears stream down his face and his hearts shatter.

Right as he is about to hit the lever to take them home, Donna opens the door a crack and pulls the child inside. Closing it tightly behind him. He hits the lever and falls to his knees, as the little boy runs to him. He gathers him in his arms apologizing.


	33. Saying Goodbye

_Okay as much fun as that was I am done teasing. Here you go._

* * *

He doesn't hear the Door again as the Tardis starts to demarterialize but when he looks up again he sees Rose standing there next to Donna. Tears are streaming down her. He looks a the scanner and sees that they are back in the normal universe and that the walls of the universe have closed.

"You tried to leave me." She says angrily. He stands up with Kiam in one arm and holds out the other arm to her. "I am sorry. I am so so sorry." He doesn't trust himself to move and is relieved when she comes over to him. He wraps his arm around her and kisses her on the head. Happy to feel her warmth.

"I missed you so much." he manages to choke out through his tears. After awhile she pulls away telling him she needed to get cleaned up

He held Kiam close to him and leaned against one of the coral of the control room as he watched Donna walking around the console.

"I thought we could try the planet Felspoon. Just because. What a good name, Felspoon. Apparently, it's got mountains that sway in the breeze. Mountains that move. Can you imagine?"

"And how do you know that?" He asked sadly.

"Because it's in your head. And if it's in your head, it's in mine."

"And how does that feel?" He wanted so badly to be wrong. But he knew what was happening to her and he knew what he had to do. She was rambling uncontrollably. He sat Kiam down in his playpen and walked over to her.

"Oh my God."

"Do you know what's happening?" he asked.

"Yeah." She said softly.

"There's never been a human Time Lord metacrisis before now. And you know why."

"Because there can't be. I want to stay." She said to him sadly, breaking his hearts all over again.

"Look at me. Donna, look at me." He took her chin gently in his hands and turned her face to him.

"I was going to be with you forever." She told him.

"I know." He didn't want to do this but he had no choice.

"The rest of my life, travelling in the Tardis. The Doctor Donna. No. Oh my god. I can't go back. Don't make me go back. Doctor, please, please don't make me go back." Her panic makes the decision even harder. He didn't want her to leave as much as she didn't want to go.

"Donna. Oh, Donna Noble. I am so sorry. But we had the best of times."

"No." She begged him.

"The best. Goodbye." He gently places his hands on her head and closes his eyes as she keeps repeating no. He takes away all the memories of him and the wonderful things she did aboard the Tardis with him. When he takes the last one and releases her mind, she collapses against him and he stands there holding her, feeling more alone then ever.

He took her home and left her with her mother and grandfather. Telling them how important she was and that she could never know the truth for even a second otherwise it would kill her. He told her goodbye and even knowing she didn't know him anymore, her not caring he was leaving nearly killed him. He stepped out in the rain and headed back to the Tardis.

Her grandfather stopped him in the doorway and he stood in the rain and told the man goodbye.

"Doctor, when it gets dark, and the stars come out, I'll look up on her behalf. I'll look up at the sky, and think of you." He told him.

He headed back on to the Tardis and closed the doors tightly behind him. He picked up Kiam again and after sending the Tardis back into the time vortex he went to find Rose. He walked to her room first and knocked. Not receiving an answer, he opened the door and peeked in. He saw that it was empty but the clothes on the ground made it obvious she had been there.

He went to Kiam's room next and seeing she was there, set the boy down to play and closed the lower half of the door. He smiled as the toddler started to play. "Now to find your mother." He says and walks on. He heads down the corridor leading to his room. "Rose" he calls out. Not hearing a reply he heads into his room. The blankets on the bed had been pulled back and her robe rested on the end. His bathroom door was shut. He went over to it and knocked lightly. "Rose" he called through the door. He didn't receive an answer. Concerned he opened the door and peeked in. She was in the bathtub and she was sound asleep. He tried and failed several times to only look at her face as he headed to the side of the tub and sat down on the edge.

"Rose," he said gently and touched her shoulder. "Rose," she opened her eyes and looked at him, slightly confused, then tears filled her eyes. "I thought I had only been dreaming," she told him as he gently wiped away the tears with his thumbs. "No, I am here." he wiped away the tears with his thumb and leaned down and kissed her head.

"Come on now, you're going to get sick, you've been in here an hour." He helped her stand up and then left the room to give her some privacy as she got dressed. He returned to Kiam got him cleaned up and ready for bed and then headed back to his room. He saw Rose sitting on the edge of his bed waiting for him to return. "Go to Mommy." He handed Kiam to her and sat down beside them.

"I still can't believe how big he has gotten since I've been gone," She says. "Thank you for listening to me and not leaving him."

"I wanted to," he admits.

"I know, but you didn't" she tells him. He stood up not trusting his voice and went over to his closet and pulled out his night clothes. He went into the bathroom, showered and got ready for bed. When he came back out she hadn't moved from the end of the bed. He snickered to himself, and climbed into his side

He watched as she stood up and set the sleeping child down on the opposite side of the bed. "Goodnight," She said and started to leave the room. He looked at her confused. "Rose." She turned and looked at him. "Stay." he said simply and lifted up the blankets next to him. She climbed under the covers and rested her head on his chest. He turned his head and breathed in her scent.

-DW-

He held her long into the night, not daring to fall asleep and find out that he had been the one dreaming. But eventually his eyes drifted closed and he slept peacefully for the first time in awhile. When he opened his eyes in the morning, he was alone in the room. He grabbed his robe, wrapped it around himself and rushed out of the room.

"Rose," he called frantically.

"In here," he heard her call from the kitchen.

He went in and saw her sitting there eating non other than a pear. His eyes narrowed he would really have to have a talk with the Tardis about letting pears on his ship.

She frowned at him. "Something wrong." she asked him.

Realizing he was still scowling he quickly smiled. "Everything's fine." He grabbed a bundle of Bananas and sat down across from her and for the first time in along time he wasn't lying.

They spent the next couple of days getting recaught up and enjoying each others company. As he stood throwing the Pears into his new favorite supernova he heard her and Kiam laughing in the background. He was becoming domestic, but as he watched her chasing Kiam around the console, he decided being domestic was okay, as long as it was with her.


	34. A night in

_Previous chapter has been fixed. I really appreciate the reviews. _

* * *

He watched Rose sitting at the table. She had told him she was going to start planning Kiam's second birthday but when he went to enter the kitchen she was just staring at the blank piece of paper on the table. Her elbows were on the table and her head was in her hands. He stood there and stared at her not saying a word. He knew something had been wrong the last couple of days but every time he asked her, she gave him his normal reply of, "I'm fine."

He walked into the kitchen and knelt down next to her, he put his hand on her back and she jumped. "Hey, hey, easy it's only me." he said softly. "Rose, what's wrong."

"I'm fine," She said again and picked up the forgotten pen on the table and started to write. "So we should invite Jack, and Ianto, Sarah Jane," She started listening off people and cut off mid sentence when she noticed he hadn't moved. "I'm fine," she said again and smiled at him weakly.

"Rose."

"I'm fine," She slammed her fist down on the table and then started to weep. "I left my mum, my dad, my brother and my friends for you. I came back from another world where I could have grown old with you and you, you barely even look at me."

He tried to gather her in his arms, but she pulled away and stormed out of the kitchen. He followed out of the room. "Rose," he called after her. "Rose, I'm sorry." She continued until she reached her room and slammed the door behind her. He stood outside the door for the longest time, listening to her weep quietly, trying to decide if he should go in or not.

Finally giving up, he walked to the control room and set the Tardis to go to earth. Landing in Cardiff, he got some things together for Kiam and waited. Sure enough, he heard the key in the lock and looked up to see Jack coming on board.

"Doctor," He said happily.

"Captain."

"Long time no see," Jack said.

"Yeah," he said. "Hey I need you to do me a favor and watch Kiam, just for tonight. I have to make things right."

Relieved that Jack didn't ask questions he watched him leave with Kiam and then flicking the lever sent the Tardis to float into space.

He went to the kitchen and even though the Tardis could have provided it he made dinner. Then he went to Rose's room and knocked on the door. "Yes," she called through the door. He stood there, and then knocked again. He heard her sigh and come to the door and open it. "Yes," she said again, her hair was a mess and her eyes were red from crying.

"Rose Tyler, I believe I am late," he offered her his arm and she took it confused.

"Late for what." she asked him.

"Our date." He led her to the kitchen and pulled out her chair she sat down. "Where's Kiam," she asked.

"He's fine, he is with Jack."

He got them dinner and set her's in front of her. She laughed as she saw the chips and he smiled.

They ate and he stood up and looked at his watch. "We're going to be late for the movie." he grabbed her hand and rushed down the hallway into the living area. He sat down on the couch and pulled her down next to him. "Awe we've missed the beginning, I knew I should have taken the short cut through the control room" he joked and she slapped him playfully.

He only half payed attention to the movie. They had seen it over a dozen times being it was her favorite as the movie went on she curled her legs up on the couch and rested her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her and held her.

The movie ended and he stood up and offered her his arm again and they walked back to her room. "I had a great night." He says. "Though the movie did run a little long." She smiled. "Was that a smile." he asked and she looked away.

"Rose Tyler," he said taking her chin in his hand. "I..." He stuttered and she looked at him expectantly. "I love you." He finishes and then leans into kiss her.

-Dw-

He woke up in his bed, her body wrapped around his. This time though he could remember everything of the night before. He looked at her, her head resting on his chest, and swore to himself he would do better by her. He was still afraid of the day that she would die and leave him but he needed to learn to live with the fear for her.

-DW-

He sent the Tardis back to Cardiff and waited for Jack to return with Kiam. He smiled as Rose entered the room wearing only his button up shirt. Her hair fixed up on her head in a messy ponytail. He pulled her in his arms and started kissing her.

"I could come back," he hears a voice say behind him and turns to see Jack standing there with Kiam.

"Jack," Rose says and rushes to him happily and wrapped him in a hug. He noticed Jack looking at him over her shoulder. He just nodded at him and Jack smiled.

-DW-

He loved Museums. He was rushing around, holding Kiam and pulling Rose with him as he looked at the various exhibits.

"Wrong. Wrong. Bit right, mostly wrong. I love museums."

"Yeah, great. Can we go to a planet now?" Rose said.

"Rose, this isn't any old asteroid. It's the Delerium Archive, the final resting place of the headless monks. The biggest museum ever."

"You've got a time machine. What do you need museums for?" She asked him and he ignored her.

"Wrong. Very wrong. Ooo, one of mine. Also one of mine."

"Oh, I see. It's how you keep score." She says with a smile.

He stops as he comes across a square box in a case and sees the lettering carved into it.

"Oh great, an old box." She says even more thrilled than before.

"It's from one of the old starliners. A Home Box." He tells her.

"What's a Home Box?"

"Like a black box on a plane, except it homes. Anything happens to the ship, the Home Box flies home with all the flight data."

"So?"

"The writing, the graffiti. Old High Gallifreyan. The lost language of the Time Lords. There were days, there were many days, these words could burn stars and raise up empires, and topple gods."

"What does it say?"

"Hello, sweetie." He hands her Kiam and then making sure no one is looking sonics the glass and picks up the box. An alarms sounds and he looks at Rose with a childlike grin. "Run" he says happily. He grabs her hand and they run back to the Tardis with the Guards on there heels.


	35. The Time of the Angels

"Why are we doing this?" Rose asked him as he hooked the box to the Tardis controls.

"Because someone on a spaceship twelve thousand years ago is trying to attract my attention. Let's see if we can get the security playback working."

He looks at the screen and sees a familiar looking woman. He remembers the last time he saw her in the library the memory was still fresh in his mind.

"The party's over, Doctor Song, Yet still you're on board." The man on the tape says.

"Sorry, Alistair.I needed to see what was in your vault. Do you all know what's down there? Any of you? Because I'll tell you something. This ship won't reach its destination." She tells him.

"Wait till she runs. Don't make it look like an execution."

"Triple seven five,Slash three four nine by ten. Zero twelve slash acorn. Oh, and I could do with an air corridor."

He inputs the number into the Tardis.

"What was that? What did she say?"

"Coordinates." he replies and sends the Tardis to that spot. As the Tardis materializes he sees an airlock open and the woman flying out.  
He runs to the door and opens it, holding out his hand to pull her in. She comes through the doors and lands on top of him.

"Doctor?" he hears Rose say in annoyance behind him. He stands up as quickly as he can and looks at Rose, his face beet red.

"Follow that ship." River tells him and surprising him he listens to her.

"They've gone into warp drive. We're losing them. Stay close." She tells him

"I'm trying."

"Use the stabilizers." She says as the Tardis shakes violently.

"There aren't any stabilizers." He says getting annoyed at her as she tries to tell him how to fly his ship.

"The blue switches." She says simply.

"Oh, the blue ones don't do anything, they're just blue."

"Yes, they're blue. Look, they're the blue stabilisers." She leans over and presses the blue buttons and the ship stops shaking."See?"

"Yeah. Well, it's just boring now, isn't it?"

"Doctor, how come she can fly the Tardis?" Rose ask him curiously as she comes closer to them with Kiam.

"You call that flying the Tardis? Ha!"

"Okay. I've mapped the probability vectors, done a fold-back on the temporal isometry, charted the ship to its destination, and parked us right along side." River says.

"Parked us? We haven't landed." He tells her.

"Of course we've landed. I just landed her."

"But, it didn't make the noise." He says.

"It's not supposed to make that noise. You leave the brakes on." She tells him.

"Yeah, well, it's a brilliant noise. I love that noise." He rushes out of the door grabbing his coat in the process. He stands at the door and waits for the rest of them.

"How come you can fly the Tardis?" Rose ask River.

"Oh, I had lessons from the very best." She says. "It's a shame you were busy that day. Right then, why did they land here?"

"They didn't land."

"Sorry?"

"You should've checked the Home Box. It crashed." he tells her and she rushes outside.

"Explain who that is." Rose says.

"It's a long story and I don't know most of it." Her eyes narrow at him. "Look Rose, all I know is she is someone from my future. Trust me." He stares at her until she nods. He walks back to the controls.

"What are you doing,"

"Leaving. She's got where she wants to go, let's go where we want to go."

"Are you running away?"

"Yep."

"Why?"

"Because she's the future. My future."

"Can you run away from that?"

"I can run away from anything I like. Time is not the boss of me, that woman is not dragging me into anything."

She sighs, takes Kiam by the hand and walks out of the Tardis doors. He stands there for a second and then follows them. The first thing he notices is that the once sleek spaceship is a burning wreck sticking out of a rock-carved building.

"What caused it to crash?" Rose ask.

"Not me." River responds.

"Nah, the airlock would've sealed seconds after you blew it. According to the Home Box, the warp engines had a phase shift. No survivors."

"A phase shift would have to be sabotage. I did warn them."

"About what?" he ask her curious.

"Well, at least the building was empty. Aplan temple. Unoccupied for centuries."

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Rose says impatiently.

"Rose Tyler, Professor River Song."

"Ah, I'm going to be a Professor some day, am I? How exciting. Spoilers." She turns her back to them again. "There's one survivor. There's a thing in the belly of that ship that can't ever die."

That catches his attention. He waits for her to finish but instead she pulls out a communicator. "You lot in orbit yet? Yeah, I saw it land. I'm at the crash site. Try and home in on my signal. Doctor, can you sonic me? I need to boost the signal so we can use it as a beacon."

He pulls out the sonic and buzzes the device.

"Ooo, Doctor, you soniced her." Rose teases him and he rolls his eyes.

"We have a minute. Shall we?" She pulls out her Diary and flips through it landing on a page.

"Where are we up to? Have we done the Bone Meadows?" She ask him

"What's the book?" Rose ask curious.

"Her diary." He puts it simply. "Her past, my future. Time travel. We keep meeting in the wrong order."

He sees four small tornadoes appear out of nowhere kicking up dust and then the tornadoes turn into soldiers. One of the men heads straight for River.

"You promised me an army, Doctor Song."

"No, I promised you the equivalent of an army. This is the Doctor and Rose Tyler."

"Father Octavian, Sir. Bishop, second class. Twenty clerics at my command. The troops are already in the drop ship and landing shortly. Doctor Song was helping us with a covert investigation. Has Doctor Song explained what we're dealing with?"

"Doctor, what do you know of the Weeping Angels?" She asks him.

-DW-

Night falls as they wait for the rest of the troops to arrive and set up camp. A small ship like looks like a shipping container lands and they set up camp around the ship. He goes over to a small table and starts looking at the maps laid out on it. Of all the creatures in the universe, why did it have to be the weeping angels.

He still remembered well the last time he encountered them and had been stuck in 1962 with Martha and Kiam, but even with all the information he had collected he had no clue how to defeat them. He would take a Dalek over them anyday.

"The Angel, as far as we know, is still trapped in the ship." Father Octavian says coming up behind him. "Our mission is to get inside and neutralize it. According to this, behind the cliff face there's a network of catacombs leading right up to the temple. We can blow through the base of the cliffs, get into the entrance chamber, then make our way up.

"Oh, good."

"Good, sir?"

"Catacombs. Probably dark ones. Dark catacombs. Great." he said sarcastically.

"Technically, I think it's called a maze of the dead." Farther Octavian continued.

"You can stop any time you like." He says coldly.

"Father Octavian?" A soldier calls to him

"Excuse me, sir." He leaves

"You're letting people call you sir. You never do that. So, whatever a Weeping Angel is, it's really bad, yeah?" Rose says coming up to him. Kiam half asleep on her shoulder.

"I thought I asked you to stay in the Tardis." She glares at him. "Rose it is extremely dangerous and even if I survive the Radiation, I still have to find away to defeat the Angels. Do you know what happens if they touch you." She shakes her head no. "They send you to the past to live out the rest of your days. Rose, I can't lose you again."

"I'm never leaving you." She puts her forehead against his and then kisses his head.

"Doctor! Doctor?" River calls and waves him over he takes Roses hand and starts to head towards her. "Father Octavian." River calls.

"Why do they call him Father?" Rose asks

"He's their Bishop, they're his Clerics. It's the fifty first Century. The Church has moved on."

They enter the ship and on the screen is a Weeping Angel with it's Back to them.

"What do you think? It's from the security cameras in the Byzantium vault. I ripped it when I was on board. Sorry about the quality. It's four seconds. I've put it on loop."

"It's an Angel. Hands covering its face."

"You've encountered the Angels before." Father Octavian asks him.

"Once, on Earth, a long time ago. But those were scavengers, barely surviving."

"But it's just a statue." Rose said sounding confused.

"It's a statue when you see it." River says.

"Where did it come from?"

"Oh, pulled from the ruins of Razbahan, end of last century. It's been in private hands ever since. Dormant all that time."

"There's a difference between dormant and patient."

"What's that mean, it's a statue when you see it?" Rose asks.

"The Weeping Angels can only move if they're unseen. So legend has it." River tells her.

"No, it's not legend, it's a quantum lock. In the sight of any living creature the Angels literally cease to exist. They're just stone. The ultimate defense mechanism."

"What, being a stone?"

"You can't kill a stone. Of course, a stone can't kill you either. But then you turn your head away, then you blink, and oh yes it can."


	36. The Time of the Angels part 2

"What if we had ideas that could think for themselves? What if one day our dreams no longer needed us? When these things occur and are held to be true, the time will be upon us. The time of Angels. Their eyes are not the windows of the soul. They are the doors. Beware what may enter there. That which holds the image of an angel becomes itself an angel."

He read aloud to Kiam who was sitting on his legs. Not really a story for an almost two year old, he thought to himself but then again Kiam didn't have a normal life. Doctor Song had given him the book on the Weeping Angels and why a lot of the information was useless that part he found interesting.

Rose had wandered away back on to the ship to look at the footage again.

"Doctor Song? Did you have more than one clip of the Angel?" She called.

"No, just the four seconds." River replied.

"There's something wrong with this book." He said and flipped through the pages. Trying to figure it out. "Aha," he yelled finally causing Doctor Song to jump.

"This whole book, it's a warning about the Weeping Angels, so why no pictures? Why not show us what to look out for?"

"There was a bit about images. What was that?" River asked.

"Doctor! It's in the room!" Rose called out from the ship.

"Rose" He sets down Kiam and runs to the ship. "Are you all right? What's happening?"

"It's coming out of the television." She sounded scared. "The Angel is here."

He tries to open the door and finding it locked tries to sonic the keypad. "Don't take your eyes off it. Keep looking. It can't move if you're looking."

"What's wrong?" River asks.

"Deadlocked." He tells her.

"There is no deadlock."

"Don't blink, Rose, don't even blink." He tries to cut the power and finds that deadlocked as well. "No good, it's deadlocked the whole system."

"There's no deadlock."

"There is now." He says angrily to her.

"Doctor, help me!" Rose says.

"Can you turn it off?" When he receives no reply he tries again. "The screen. Can you turn it off?"

"I tried." She says.

"Try again, but don't take your eyes off the Angel. Don't Blink."

"I'm not blinking. Have you ever tried not blinking? It just keeps switching back on."

"Yeah, it's the Angel." He tells her.

"But it's just a recording."

"No, anything that takes the image of an Angel is an Angel."

"Doctor, what's it going to do to me?"

"Look at the Angel but don't look at the eyes." He tells her avoiding her question."

"Why not."

"The eyes are not the window to the soul."

"What did you say again about the images."

"Anything that takes the image of an Angel is an Angel."

She goes silent and a moment later the door clicks. He pulls it open and rushes in fearing that she has been taken again. He is relieved to see her standing there shaken but okay. He runs to her and wraps her in his arms and kisses her. "You are amazing Rose Tyler." he says proudly.

"I froze it. There was a sort of blip on the tape and I froze it on the blip. It wasn't the image of an Angel any more." She tells him.

"So it was here? That was the Angel?"

"That was a projection of the Angel. It's reaching out, getting a good look at us. It's no longer dormant." He says. There is an explosion outside and he turns pale. "Kiam" he starts to run outside and then notices the little boy sitting on the steps looking at the book. Relief floods through him. "You two are going to be the death of me." He calls back to Rose.

"Doctor? We're through." Father Octavian said coming over to them.

"Okay, now it starts." He grabs Kiam's hand and heads with Father Octavian to a hole leading down in the temple. A rope ladder extends downwards.

"Coming" he calls back to Rose seeing she hasn't moved.

"Yeah, I just have something in my eye." She rubs her eye and then comes over to him. He takes off his jacket and then looks at Rose.

"Put Kiam on my back and give me your coat." He tells her. She scoops up Kiam and he feels the little boy wrap his arms around his neck. He hands Rose his coat and watches as she puts it on. Smiling at how she looks, he takes her coat and ties it around himself securing Kiam tightly to his back.

"Hold on tightly, Kiam and don't let go until Daddy tells you it is safe." He says and starts down the rope ladder slowly.

They reach the bottom of the Cavern and he unties Rose's coat and sets Kiam down on the ground holding his hand. He tries to look around and sees only shadows.

"Do we have a gravity globe?" He asks. One of the Clerics hands him a globe.

"Where are we? What is this?" Rose asks.

"It's an Aplan Mortarium, sometimes called a Maze of the Dead." River replies.

"What's that?" Rose ask.

"It's just a labyrinth with dead people buried in the walls and if you happen to be a creature of living stone, the perfect hiding place." He drop kicks the globe in his hand into the air, where it illuminates an array mausoleums and statues. All the statues looked old and decaying.

"I guess this makes it a bit trickier." Father Octavian says.

"A bit, yeah." He replies looking around.

"A stone Angel on the loose amongst stone statues. A lot harder than I'd prayed for." He turns to his men. "Right. Check every single statue in this chamber. You know what you're looking for. Complete visual inspection. One question. How do we fight it?"

"We find it, and hope." He says and takes Roses hand in his free hand and starts walking deeper into the maze.

They had been walking for awhile when gunfire sounds behind them. He passes Kiam to Rose and runs back to the main group. He sees a young cleric standing there with his gun pointed at one of the statues.

"Sorry, sorry. I thought. I thought it looked at me." The young cleric says sheepishly.

"We know what the Angel looks like. Is that the Angel?" Father Octavian scolds.

"No, sir."

"No, sir, it is not. According to the Doctor, we are facing an enemy of unknowable power and infinite evil, so it would be good, it would be very good, if we could all remain calm in the presence of decor."

"What's your name?" He asks stepping forward.

"Bob, sir. It's a Sacred Name. We all have Sacred Names. They're given to us in the service of the Church."

"Sacred Bob. More like Scared Bob now, eh?" He questions.

"Yes, sir."

"Ah, good. Scared keeps you fast. Anyone in this room who isn't scared is a moron. Carry on." He looks Father Octavian in the eye and smiles before heading back to Rose and taking Kiam's hand back.

"We'll be moving into the maze in two minutes. You stay with Christian and Angelo. Guard the approach." Father Octavian says.

-DW-

"Isn't there a chance this lot's just going to collapse? There's a whole ship up there." Rose asks.

"Incredible builders, the Aplans." River says.

"Had dinner with their Chief Architect once. Two heads are better than one."

"What, you mean you helped him?" Rose asks.

"No, I mean he had two heads." He smiles at her. "Lovely species, the Aplans. We should visit them some time. Very relaxed, sort of cheerful. Well, that's having two heads, of course. You're never short of a snog with an extra head."

"Doctor, there's something. I don't know what it is." River speaks up.

"Yeah, there's something wrong. Don't know what it is yet, either. Working on it." He says to River and then turns back to Rose. "Of course, then they started having laws against self-marrying. But that's the Church for you. Er, no offense, Bishop."

"Quite a lot taken, if that's all right, Doctor. Lowest point in the wreckage is only about fifty feet up from here."

"The Church had a point, if you think about it. The divorces must have been messy." Rose jokes but he stops suddenly, feeling himself go pale.

"Oh."

"What's wrong?" Rose asks.

"Oh." River says.

"Exactly."

"How could we have not noticed that?" Rose asks catching on.

He leans over slowly and picks Kiam up. "Low level perception filter. Nobody move. Nobody move. Everyone stay exactly where they are. Bishop, I am so sorry. I've made a mistake and we are all in terrible danger."

"What danger?"

"The Aplans. They've got two heads." Rose says.

"Yes, I get that. So?" Father Octavian says confused.

"So why don't the statues? Everyone, over there. Just move. Don't ask questions, don't speak." He herds them into an alcove away from the statues. "Okay, I want you all to switch off your torches."

"Sir?"

"Just do it. Okay. I'm going to turn off this one too, just for a moment." He turns the light off and then flicks it back on immediately.

"Oh, my God. They've moved." Rose says. He hands Kiam to her and then takes off down the nearby passage. All of the statues have moved and they are heading towards them.

"They're Angels. All of them." He says not able to keep the fear out of his voice. Every statue in this Maze, every single one, is a Weeping Angel. They're coming after us."

"But they can't be." River says.

"Clerics, keep watching them."

"But there was only one Angel on the ship. Just the one, I swear." River tells him

"Could they have been here already?" Rose ask.

"The Aplans. What happened? How did they die out?" He asks River, mentally kicking himself for not thinking of it sooner.

"Nobody knows." River responds.

"They don't look like Angels." Father Octavian says.

"And they're not fast. You said they were fast. They should have had us by now." Rose says.

"Look at them. They're dying, losing their form. They must have been down here for centuries, starving."

"Losing their image?"

"And their image is their power." He pauses. "Aha, Don't you see? All that radiation spilling out the drive burn. The crash of the Byzantium wasn't an accident, it was a rescue mission for the Angels. We're in the middle of an army, and it's waking up."

"We need to get out of here fast." River says.

"Bob, Angelo, Christian, come in, please. Any of you, come in." Father Octavian says into his walkie.

"It's Bob, sir. Sorry, sir." He says over the walkie.

"Bob, are Angelo and Christian with you? All the statues are active. I repeat, all the statues are active."

"I know, sir. Angelo and Christian are dead, sir. The statues killed them, sir." Bob replies.

He takes the walkie from Father Octavian Bob, it's me, the Doctor. Where are you now?"

"I'm on my way up to you, sir. I'm homing in on your signal."

"Ah, well done, Bob. Scared keeps you fast. Told you, didn't I. Your friends, Bob. What did the Angel do to them?"

"Snapped their necks, sir."

"That's odd. That's not how the Angels kill you. They displace you in time. Unless they needed the bodies for something. Bob, keep running. But tell me, how did you escape?"

"I didn't escape, sir. The Angel killed me, too." The reply comes over the walkie and he feels his blood go colder.

"What do you mean, the Angel killed you?"

"Snapped my neck, sir. Wasn't as painless as I expected, but it was pretty quick, so that was something."

"If you're dead, how can I be talking to you?" he wonders.

"You're not talking to me, sir. The Angel has no voice. It stripped my cerebral cortex from my body and re-animated a version of my consciousness to communicate with you. Sorry about the confusion."

"So when you say you're on your way up to us"

"It's the Angel that's coming, sir, yes. No way out."

"Then we get out through the wreckage. Go! Go, go, go. All of you run. Father Octavian orders."

"Doctor." Rose stops mid stride.

"I'm coming. Just go." He yells at her and watches her run off. He turns to Father Octavian. "Sorry, but there's no way we could have rescued your men."

"I know that, sir. And when you've flown away in your little blue box, I'll explain that to their families."

"Angel Bob. Which Angel am I talking to? The one from the ship?" He asks over the walkie.

"Yes, sir. And the other Angels are still restoring."

"Ah, so the Angel is not in the wreckage. Thank you." He tells the Angel and then takes off running. He sees Rose stopped on a bridge. One hand grasping the rail tightly and the other holding Kiam's hand.

He stops. "Rose, we need to run."

"I can't."

"Why not?" He asks softly.

"Look at it. Look at my hand. It's stone." She says.

"You looked into the eyes of an Angel, didn't you?"

"I couldn't stop myself. I tried."

"Listen to me. It's messing with your head. Your hand is not made of stone."

"It is. Look at it."

"It's in your mind, Rose, I promise you. You can move that hand. You can let go." he says trying to remain calm.

"I can't, okay? I've tried and I can't. It's stone. Take Kiam and run."

"The Angel is going to come and it's going to turn this light off, and then there's nothing I can do to stop it, so do it. Concentrate. Move your hand." He says fiercely to her.

"I can't." She says softly, tears filling her eyes. You've got to go." She says.

He sees the statue arrive out of the corner of his eye.

"Rose, Keep your eyes on it. Don't blink."

"Run, please. Just take Kiam and run."

He listens to the second part and scoops up Kiam but he stays where he is. "You see, I'm not going. I'm not leaving you here. I can't lose you again Rose, you need to move your hand."

"It's stone."

"Rose Tyler, you are magnificent, and I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I understand. You've got to leave me." She says the tears now streaming down her face.

"Oh, no, I'm not leaving you, never. I'm sorry about this." he leans over and nips the back of her hand.

"Ow!" She cries out.

"See? Not stone. Now run." He grabs her hand and starts pulling her with him.

"You bit me." She says.

"Yeah, and you're alive."

They run until they reach a dead end. The entrance into the Byzantium is above them. The lights start to flicker as the Angels drain the power.

"There's no way up, no way back, no way out. No pressure, but this is usually when you have a really good idea." River says to him.

"There's always a way out." He tells her.


	37. Flesh and stone

"Doctor? Can I speak to the Doctor, please?" Comes Bob over the walkie.

"Hello, Angels. What's your problem?" He says pleasantly.

"Your power will not last much longer, and the Angels will be with you shortly. Sorry, sir, but there's something the Angels are very keen you should know before the end."

"Which is?"

"I died in fear. You told me my fear would keep me alive, but I died afraid, in pain and alone. You made me trust you, and when it mattered, you let me down. I'm sorry, sir. The Angels were very keen for you to know that."

"Well then, the Angels have made their second mistake because I'm not going to let that pass. I'm sorry you're dead, Bob, but I swear to whatever is left of you, they will be sorrier."

"But you're trapped, sir, and about to die."

"Yeah. I'm trapped. And you know what? Speaking of traps, this trap has got a great big mistake in it."

"What mistake, sir?" The Angel says but he ignores him. He looks at Father Octavian. "Trust me."

"We have faith, sir."

"Then give me your gun. I'm about to do something incredibly stupid and dangerous. When I do, jump!"

"Jump where?" Father Octavian ask confused.

"Just jump, high as you can. Come on, leap of faith, Bishop. On my signal."

"What signal?"

"You won't miss it." He responds and points the gun at the hull of the Byzanthium.

"Sorry, can I ask again? You mentioned a mistake we made." He hears the Angel say over the walkie.

"Oh, big mistake. Huge. Didn't anyone every tell you there's one thing you never put in a trap? If you're smart, if you value your continued existence, if you have any plans about seeing tomorrow, there is one thing you never, ever put in a trap."

"And what would that be, sir?"

"Me." He grips Kiam tightly and shoots at the Byzantium. As soon as he fires the gun he jumps with all his might and feels himself land hard.

"What happened?" Rose asks as she takes the hand he offers her and he pulls her to her feet.

"We jumped." He says simply. "The ship crashed with the power still on, yeah? So what else is still on? The artificial gravity. One good jump, and up we fell. Shot out the grav globe to give us an updraft, and here we are."

"Doctor, the statues. They look more like Angels now." Father Octavian says.

"They're feeding on the radiation from the wreckage, draining all the power from the ship, restoring themselves. Within an hour, they'll be an army." He sonics the hatch he is standing by and as it opens one of the nearby lights explodes.

"They're taking out the lights. Quickly, all of you into the ship.

"How?" Rose says confused.

He hands her Kiam and then smiles at her. "Like this" He drops through the hatch and lands in the corridor. He holds up his arms and she passes Kiam down to him before dropping through herself.

"Okay, men. Go, go, go!" Octavian says and him as his men jump through as he starts to work on the control panel to the next door.

"The Angels. Presumably they can jump up too?" Octavian says. The hatch closes with another bang and the lights go off as the second door opens.

"They're here, now, run."

"This whole place is a death trap." Octavian says.

"No, it's a time bomb. Well, it's a death trap and a time bomb. And now it's a dead end. Nobody panic." He looks at River as they stand in front of the next closed door, "What's through here?"

"Secondary flight deck." River says.

"What if the gravity fails?" Rose asks him.

"We'll all plunge to our deaths." He continues to sonic the other panel. "The security protocols are still live." He says trying to override them.

Light floods the hall as the outer hatch opens and then they return to darkness.

The lights flicker and there are four Angels standing in front of them.

"Clerics, keep watching them." He gets the lights back on and is relieved for a moment to see the angels still down the hall. "And don't look at their eyes. Anywhere else. Not the eyes. I've isolated the lighting grid. They can't drain the power now."

"Good work, Doctor." Father Octavian says.

"Yes good, but there's only one way to open this door. I guess I'll need to route all the power in this section through the door control."

"Fine. Do it."

"Including the lights. All of them. I'll need to turn out the lights." He says.

"How long for?"

"Fraction of a second. Maybe longer."

"Doctor, we lost the torches. We'll be in total darkness." Father Octavian says.

"No other way. Bishop."

"Okay, Doctor. We've got your back."

"Bless you. Bishop."

"Combat distance, ten feet. As soon as the lights go down, continuous fire. Full spread over the hostiles. Do not stop firing while the lights are out. Shot gun protocol. We don't have bullets to waste." Father Octavian tells his remaining men.

"Rose, when the lights go down, the wheel should release. Spin it clockwise four turns."

"Ten." Rose says.

"No, four. Four turns."

"Yeah, four. I heard you."

"Ready!" As the lights go out the Clerics start shooting. He continues to work on the panel. "Turn," he tells rose.

"It's working. It's opening." Rose says happily. They get the door open enough to squeeze through and he yells at the troops to fall back as he makes sure Rose gets through and then the rest. He squeezes himself and Kiam through and then closes the door. They run down another short corridor and go through the door. He runs to the controls and starts to sonic them as thumps sound on the door and the wheel on it starts to turn.

The door stops as Father Octavian puts a device on it. "Magnetized the door. Nothing could turn that wheel now."

"Yeah?" He says simply and hears the wheel start to turn again.

"Dear God!"

"Ah, now you're getting it. You've bought us time though. That's good. I am good with time."

"Doctor, how long have we got?" Father Octavian asks.

"Five minutes, max." He says.

"Nine." Rose says.

"Five." He says looking at her.

"Five. Right. Yeah." She says absently.

"Why'd you say nine?" He asks concerned.

"I didn't." She tells him. He continues to stare at her until he hears River say.

"We need another way out of here." River says.

"There isn't one." Father Octavian tells him.

"Yeah, there is. Course there is. This is a galaxy class ship. Goes for years between planet falls. So, what do they need?" He smiles.

"Can we get in there?" Father Octavian ask him.

"Well, it's a sealed unit, but they must have installed it somehow. This whole wall should slide up. There's clamps. Release the clamps."

The wall slides up to reveal a forest. He sees the amazement in Roses eyes and smiles. He loved the wonder she still felt even after everything she had seen.

"It's a forest." She says quietly, walking over to take his hand.

"Yeah, it's a forest. It's an oxygen factory." River says.

"And if we're lucky, an escape route." He says kissing Rose on the head.

"Eight." She says.

"Is there another exit? Scan the architecture, we don't have time to get lost in there." He tells Father Octavian.

"On it. Stay where you are until I've checked the Rad levels."

"But trees, on a space ship?" Rose says.

"Oh, more than trees. Way better than trees. You're going to love this. Treeborgs. Trees plus technology. A forest in a bottle on a space ship in a maze."

"Seven." She says with a smile.

"Seven?" He asks

"Sorry, what?" She says confused.

"You said seven." He tells her.

"No. I didn't." She insists.

"Yes. you did." River agrees with him.

"Doctor, there's an exit, far end of the ship, into the Primary Flight Deck. Plotting a safe path now."

"Quick as you like." He tells him.

"Six" Rose says.

He lets go of Rose's hand and picks up the walkie. "Bob"

"Yes"

"Here's what I want to know. What have you done to Rose" He asks feeling his anger rising again.

"There is something in her eye." Bob says.

"What's in her eye?" He says angrily.

"We are."

"What's he talking about? Doctor, I'm five. I mean, five. Fine! I'm fine."

"You're counting." River says.

"Counting?" Rose asks.

"You're counting down from ten. You have been for a couple of minutes."

"Why?"

"I don't know." He wraps his arm around her pulling her to him.

"Well, counting down to what?" She asks

"I don't know." He tells her

"We shall take her. We shall take all of you. We shall have dominion over all time and space." The Angel says.

"There's power on this ship, but nowhere near that much." He tells The Angel.

"With respect, sir, there's more power on this ship than you yet understand."

"You haven't noticed yet, sir. The Doctor in the Tardis hasn't noticed." The angel taunts him.

"Doctor." Father Octavian says.

"There's something I've missed." He looks around and sees a crack in the bulkhead above the entrance. "That can't be," He says.

"What is it." Rose asks him.

He hands Kiam over to her and then goes over and scans the crack with his sonic. "Two parts of space and time that should never have touched."

"Okay, enough. We're moving out." Father Octavian says.

"Yeah, fine." He comes over and takes Kiam back from Rose and walks into the forest with Rose and River following behind. He was confused about The Angels' statement about the power. The power that he had scanned was raw Time Energy, emanating from a fire at the end of the universe. The Angels couldn't feed on that.

"Doctor" He hears River say behind him and turns around to see Rose laying on a mossy tree trunk.

"Rose" He runs over to her and kneels down. "Rose what's wrong?"

"Four." She says weakly.

"Med scanner, now." River says and hooks it up to Rose's arm.

"So, what's wrong with me?" Rose asks.

"Nothing. You're fine." River says at the same time he says. "You're dying."

"Doctor!"

"Sorry." He lets go of Kiam and ruffles his hair. "What's the matter with Rose? Something's in her eye. What does that mean? Does it mean anything?"

"Doctor, I'm scared" Rose says weakly.

"I know," He gently strokes her head. "You looked into the eyes of the Angel too long."

"Sir! Angel incoming." One cleric calls out.

"And here." Another one says.

"Keep visual contact. Do not let it move." Father Octavian says.

"She watched an Angel climb out of the screen." He says softly, more to himself than anyone else. "She stared at the Angel and," He pauses.

"The image of an Angel is an Angel." Rose says.

"A living mental image in a living human mind. But we stare at them to stop them getting closer. We don't even blink, and that is exactly what they want. Because as long as our eyes are open, they can climb inside. There's an Angel in her mind." He says sadly.

"Three. Doctor, it's coming. I can feel it. I'm going to die."

"No you're not Rose. You need to be strong. Now counting what is that about." He picks up the walkie. "Bob, why are they making her count?"

"To make her afraid, sir."

"Why? What for?"

"For fun, sir." With that statement he throws the walkie hard against a tree and watches satisfied as it breaks. He turns his attention back to Rose. "The angel is inside your head. It's trying to climb out and shut you off."

"Then what I do?" She ask him.

"If it was a real screen, what would we do? We'd pull the plug. We'd kill the power. But we can't just knock her out, the Angel would just take over." Suddenly it hits him. "Rose, close your eyes."

"No. No, I don't want to."

"Good, because that's not you, that's the Angel inside you. It's afraid. Do it. Close your eyes." He says softly and watches as she squeezes her eyes shut. He looks at River.

"She's normalizing. Oh, you did it. You did it."

"Sir? Two more incoming."

"Three more over here."

"Still weak. Dangerous to move her." River says.

"So, can I open my eyes now?" Rose asks.

"Rose, listen to me. If you open your eyes now for more than a second, you will die." He chokes on the last word. "The Angel is still inside you. We haven't stopped it, we've just sort of paused it. You've used up your countdown. You cannot open your eyes." He says softly.

"Doctor, we're too exposed here. We have to move on."

"We're too exposed everywhere. We need to get to the Primary Flight Deck." He stands up and sonics the area. "Which is a quarter of a mile straight ahead, and from there we're going to stabilize the wreckage, stop the Angels, and cure Rose."

"How?" River asks.

"I don't know yet." He leans down and gently scoops Rose up holding her.

"Doctor, it's dangerous to mover her."

"I'm not leaving her. Now please take Kiam's hand and follow me." He says to River and watches her sigh and then lean over and takes Kiam's hand. He smiles and sets off.

He hears Father Octavian give his men the order to stay back and watch the Angels.

They reach the flight deck and Father Octavian sets to work finding a way to open it. "There has got to be a service hatch or something." Father Octavian says. "Got it."

He watches River and Kiam go in and then sends Rose in after them.

Father Octavian looks at him. "A second Doctor."

He nods.

"Listen to me, it's important. You can't trust her."

"Trust who?"

"River Song. You think you know her, but you don't. You don't understand who or what she is." He turns and looks at the ship when he turns back the Angel is standing there with his arm around Father Octavian's throat.

"Let him go." He tells the Angel.

"Well, it can't let me go, sir, can it? Not while you're looking at it." Father Octavian says.

"I can't stop looking at it, it'll kill you."

"It's going to kill me anyway. Think it through. There's no way out of this. You have to leave me."

"Can't you wriggle out?" He asks hopefully. He didn't want to be responsible for another death.

"No, it's too tight. You have to leave me, sir. There's nothing you can do."

"You're dead if I leave you."

"Yes. Yes, I'm dead. And before you go"

"I'm not going." He says simply.

"Doctor Song is in my custody from Stormcage. Now, I've told you more than I should. Now please, you have to go. It's your duty to your friends."

"Just tell me why she was in Stormcage?"

"She killed a man. A good man. A hero to many."

"Who?" He ask curious.

"You don't want to know, sir. You really don't."

"Who did she kill?" He asks again.

"Sir, the Angels are coming. You have to leave me." Father Octavian says.

"You'll die." He says softly.

"I will die in the knowledge that my courage did not desert me at the end. For that I thank God, and bless the path that takes you to safety."

"I wish I'd known you better."

"I think, sir, you know me at my best."

"Ready?" He asks even though he is not ready to leave the man.

"Content."

He takes his eyes off the angel and dives through the hatch closing it behind him.

"Where's Octavian?" River asks.

"Octavian's dead." He answers her.

"What was the crack in the other room," Rose asks him. He looks towards Rose who is sitting on the floor holding Kiam to her, her eyes still closed tightly.

"Time Energy."

"That Time Energy, what's it going to do?" Rose asks.

"Er, keep eating."

"How do we stop it?" River asks him.

"Feed it."

"Feed it what?"

"A big, complicated space time event should shut it up for a while." He tells River.

"Like what, for instance?"

"Like me, for instance!" He says in a cold voice. He puts his head down and stays motionless thinking until an alarm starts beeping.

"What's that?" Rose asks.

"The Angels are draining the last of the ship's power, which means the shield's going to release." As he says this the door opens to reveal a group of Angels.

"Angel Bob, I presume." He says to the one standing in front.

"The Time Field is coming. It will destroy our reality."

"Yeah, and look at you all, running away. What can I do for you?"

"There is a rupture in time. The Angels calculate that if you throw yourself into it, it will close, and they will be saved." The Angel tells him.

"Yeah, could do that, but why?"

"Your friends will also be saved." The Angel says.

"Well, there is that. Kiam come to Daddy. River please get me Rose's coat."

"I've traveled in time. I'm a complicated space time event too. Throw me in." River says.

"Oh, be serious. Compared to me, these Angels are more complicated than you, and it would take every one of them to amount to me, so get a grip." He holds his arms down not taking his eyes off the Angels and picks up Kiam and reaches back with his free arm to take Rose's coat. He ties the child to his chest.

"I mean it. River, Rose, get a grip."

"Oh, you genius."

"Sir, the Angels need you to sacrifice yourself now."

"Thing is, Bob, the Angels are draining all the power from this ship. Every last bit of it. And you know what? I think they've forgotten where they're standing. I think they've forgotten the gravity of the situation. Or to put it another way, Angels, Goodbye." He loops his arm through a handle on the Console and grabs tightly to Kiam as the Gravity fails. He looks over and sees Rose and River also holding on tightly. He looks down and sees the Angels fall through the forest and disappear in to the crack. The crack closes behind them.

-DW-

They are back on the beach and he is standing by Rose who is wrapped in a blanket with Kiam.

"Ah. Bruised everywhere." Rose moans.

"Me too." He says thinking how nice a long shower would feel.

"You didn't have to climb out with your eyes shut." She says.

"Neither did you. I kept saying. The Angels all fell into the Time Field. The Angel in your memory never existed. It can't harm you now." He says exasperated.

"Then why do I remember it at all?"

"You're a time traveler, Rose. It changes the way you see the universe, forever."

"And the crack, is that gone too?"

"Yeah" He still wasn't sure what had cause the crack in the first place and was wondering if the would find more.

He kisses Rose and then heads over to River. She is standing in handcuffs a little ways away.

"Must it always end this way?" She asks as he gets nearer.

"What now?"

"The prison ship's in orbit. They'll beam me up any second. I might have done enough to earn a pardon this time. We'll see."

"Octavian said you killed a man." He says.

"Yes, I did." She says.

"A good man." He questions.

"A very good man. The best man I've ever known."

"Who?"

"It's a long story. Doctor. It can't be told, it has to be lived. No sneak previews. Well, except for this one. You'll see me again quite soon, when the Pandorica opens." She says.

"The Pandorica. Ha! That's a fairy tale." He says with a smile.

"Doctor, aren't we all? I'll see you there." She smiles back at him.

"I look forward to it."

"I remember it well." He narrows his eyes at her statement.

"Bye, River." Rose calls out.

"See you, Rose. Bye Bye Kiam. Oh, I think that's my ride." She says as a ship approaches.

"Can I trust you. River Song?"

"If you like. Ha, but where's the fun in that?" She disappears in a whirl of sand.

He walks over and helps Rose stand up.

"What are you thinking," She asks him.

"How showers are more fun with two," He says and laughs at the grin that crosses her face. "Come on." He grabs one of Kiam's hands and she grabs the other and they head back to the Tardis.


	38. Life

They were back on Earth. Rose had wanted to celebrate Kiam's 2nd Birthday in the same park she had played in as a kid. She had been planning the birthday for a month now and had invited a lot of people.

She had made him a cake and decorated it herself and while she had tried, he had laughed so hard, his side had hurt and she was wouldn't talk to him for a couple hours after. But overall the party had been going well and Kiam had made out like a little bandit with all his new toys and new clothes.

He sat on a picnic bench and watched Kiam chasing Martha's nephew around the toys and smiled. Nearby Mickey and Martha sat hand in hand watching the children as well. Sarah Jane and her son Luke had showed up. As well as Jack and his Torchwood team among others. He turned and looked for Rose and a wave of Jealousy passed through him as he saw her sitting under a tree with Jack. She was leaning her head against his shoulder and he kissed her head. He told himself they were just friends and tried to turn away but he still kept one eye on them.

He saw Rose stand up and turned his full attention back to Kiam. As she sat down next to him, he continued to stare at Kiam and asked her simply. "So what were you and Jackie Boy talking about."

"Are you jealous, Doctor," She asked pleased but Surprised at the same time.

"No," he said quickly.

"If you must know," She says, "We were talking about you."

That answer surprised him. "Me," he said.

"Doctor, he told me that while I was gone, you tried to end it." He finally looked at her and the sadness on her face.

"I tried to get it back." He says.

"By drowning yourself. Jack said Martha told him you tried at least five times in a lake while you were in 1962 and Donna said you tried twice. Once while fighting an Alien and the other in the Tardis pool."

"Jack needs to learn to keep his mouth shut." He said angry.

"He is trying to help. He was worried." She says defensively. "How many times did you try?"

"Rose."

"How many?"

"I don't know." he lies and stands up and heads over to Sarah Jane and sits with her and Luke catching up.

-DW-

He was sitting in the Tardis kitchen sipping a cup of tea. They had a long day at the park, leaving at sunset. Rose had carried the sleepy little boy back on the Tardis, while he had carried his new toys. He deposited in Kiam's room, while Rose had taken Kiam to their room to put him to sleep.

"We really need to get him use to sleeping alone." Rose said coming in the kitchen and stealing his tea as she set down at the table.

"It was easier, when you were..." He trails off and stands up to make another cup of tea.

"Doctor, can I ask you a question." She said quietly. Knowing where she was going with it, he didn't answer right away. Finally he sits down in front of her with a cup of tea.

"You want to know how many times still?" He looks up at her over the rim.

"Yes."

He takes another sip of the tea trying to avoid answering her as long as possible. But she just sits there and stares at him expectantly, not saying anything, waiting for an answer.

"Eight," He says finally, leaning back in his chair. "But I wasn't trying to kill myself, I was trying to get my life back."

"By drowning yourself."

"By feeling something besides the pain of losing you." Now it was her turn to be surprised. She moved around the table and sat next to him and took him in her arms.

"If something happens to me..."

"Rose don't." he cut her off.

She placed her hands over his. "Doctor, if something happens to me again, I want you to promise me, that you will carry on."

He leans over and kisses her, he didn't want to think about that. And as he lay in her bed later that night holding her against him, he didn't think of anything at all.

-DW-

Rose was snoring lightly her head rested on his chest. He gently moved her head to the pillow and got up out of her bed and got dressed. He went to the console room and started working on the Tardis. Since she had gotten back he had tried laying in bed with her several nights, even though he didn't need sleep, but she had put a stop to it when she awoke one night to him gently saying, "pow, pow, pow."

She had turned to see him laying on his back with his tounge sticking out of the corner of his mouth in concentration, pointing at the celiling with his sonic.

"Whatcha doing" she had asked him and he looked embarassed and had mumbled something.

"Huh,"

"Playing Space Invaders," he said turning redder. After that he would sometimes lay with her until she went to sleep but unless he needed sleep too, or Kiam was having a long night he never stayed the entire night.

-DW-

He had just gotten settled under the controls and was stripping a wire, when he heard a key in the door. He hadn't moved the Tardis from the rift since he had landed there for Kiam's party.

Not bothering to crawl out of underneath he called out, "Hello Captain."

"How did you know it was me." Jack replied.

"Who else would come to call at 2am?"

"Do you have a clock under there," Jack Joked.

"Timelord." He replied simply, "Wanna give me a hand?"

Jack came into sight and settled himself on the floor next to him and got to work.

"Oh and Jack."

"Hmm"

"Next time you want to tell Rose something about personal about me, without me there, don't."

"Got it."


	39. Time and Space

Him and Jack continue to work on the Tadis most of the night. He sends the Tardis into the Time Vortex to continue the work and Jack moves to the other side to work on another panel. He hears Rose, say "Hey you," and he slides out to see her standing there in his shirt, holding Kiam in her arms.

"Hey," he replies and slides back underneath.

She crouches down and pulls him out again. "Listen we need to talk."

He looks panicked. "Jack" he calls out and then slides back under.

She grabs his coat and pulls him back out as he looks at her surprised. "No shut up, I've just got a question is all."

Jack looks up from where he is working. "You okay over there?"

"Yeah fine. No problem." He calls over to Jack.

Rose stands up still holding Kiam and puts her hand on her hip. She looks at Jack, "What are you doing.

"I'm helping the Doctor, um it's humming is that okay?"

He slides underneath and then slides out again. "Yeah it's fine were just entering conceptional space. Imagine a banana or actually don't cause it's not curved or like a banana forget the banana. Rose, do we have any bananas?" Not waiting for her to answer he slides back underneath.

"Um is he helping you fly the Tardis." She ask him.

He slides out again. He looks at Jack ignoring Rose. "Okay attach thermal cuplinks to seven and eleven." He stands up and starts pressing buttons on the console, with Rose following him.

"How come he gets a go. You never let me have a go anymore."

"Uh Doctor don't, seriously, Mickey says he let her drive his car once."

"Yeah to the end of the road" She scoffs.

"Yeah where according to Rose, there was an unexpected house."

"Awe, Mickey's jealous cause I passed my test first time." she grins.

"He says you cheated. You wore a skirt."

"I didn't wear a skirt." He had been moving around the console during their conversation but as she says this he looks over to see her legs. He stands up quickly and moves to the other side of the console.

"No, no I did wear a skirt, but it was any old skirt."

"You've ever seen Rose drive Doctor? He ask him.

"No," he calls back.

"Neither did her driving examiner." He jokes

"Actually it was a skirt," Shes says, "A short one." She bends over and sets Kiam, who was beginning to fuss, down. Suddenly, there is a crashing sound and the Tardis shakes and goes dark.

"What was that" Rose asks.

"Jack did you drop the thermal cuplinks?"

"Sorry," Jack calls back.

"Aw how did you do that. I told you don't drop them. I specifically mentioned not dropping." He storms around the console pushing buttons trying to figure it out.

Rose looks sheepish. "I-i-it was my fault" she stutters.

He looks at her "Of course it wasn't your fault." he says as he storms past her again

"Kin-kinda was her fault" Jack admits.

"How could it be her fault." He asks looking at him.

"Cause it was your shirt, and me bending over to set our son down."

"Jack!"

"Sorry," Jack says but his face doesn't show it.

"Well we've landed Emergency materialization, we should be fine it should have locked onto the safest space available."

He flicks a lever and the lights come on to reveal another Tardis sitting inside the first. They all three head over to it.

"Doctor what's happened?" Rose asks.

"Safest spot available the Tardis has materialized inside itself"

"Is that suppose to happen," Jack asks.

"Take a guess."

"No," Jack answers.

"That's the one"

He goes over to the police box and rubs his hand on the side.

"Whoa what are you doing?" Rose asks.

"I have absolutely no idea" He opens the doors and goes into the police box that is sitting there and comes in through the main doors with Jack and Rose.

"Uh, okay that is a bit weird." Rose says.

He opens the main Tardis door again and sticks his arm through. It comes out of the Police Box sitting inside. He then goes all the way through and closes the door."

"That is actually pretty cool." Jack says.

"Oh, I'm glad your entertained, Jack, now that were stuck here for all eternity at least you won't be bored." He says angrily.

"Wait what were stuck," Rose says.

"The inside of the Tardis is now joined to the outside of the Tardis worst then a time loop, a space loop. Nothing can enter or leave this ship ever again." He says and glares at Jack.

As he says that the main door opens and closes and he turns around surprised to see Rose and Kiam entering as she still stands beside him.

"Okay kids this is where it gets complicated." The second Rose says.

"Who the hell are you," Rose asks the Second Rose as they head over to her.

"I'm you from your future," The second Rose answers.

He gets close to the new Rose. "Tell me exactly what's happened."

"Well the exterior shell of the Tardis has drifted forwards in time. if you step into the box now, you step into the control room a tiny bit in the past." She looks proud of herself and he gives her a hug proud of her as well.

"I don't understand" The Rose behind him says.

"Neither do I" the second Rose says.

"Wait you just said it," Rose replies.

"No i'm just repeating it." He puts his hand to his forehand and starts to rub it. He was getting a headache "I'm just remembering what I heard myself saying when I was standing where you are now and just repeating it." He looks at her surprised. "I'm just repeating this too and this and this."

"Uh, I still don't understand" Rose says.

"You still don't" The second Rose tells her.

"Okay," He interrupts. "When does this Rose step inside the box. We need to make out a time line."

"Ah," the second Rose says, "As soon as she slapped Jack."

"Okay" Rose readily agrees.

"Huh, no, why do I get slapped." Jack asks.

He looks at Jack. "Because we have to stick to the established chain of events one mistake and the entire timeline could collapse and we could end up with two Rose Tyler's forever and then what would we do."

Jack smiles and holds up a finger, turning to look at Rose. She gasps and slaps him across the face.

"Okay you into the police box now," He says coming over and pushing Rose towards it. "Remember to take Kiam."

She grabs Kiam's hand and heads over to the Police Box but she leans against instead and looks at herself. "What and then I become her?"

"Yes, Go"

She turns and looks at the future Rose.

"Do I really look like that." She asks her.

"Yeah you do." The Future Rose replies.

"I'd give you a driver's license."

"hmm I bet you would"

He groans "This is how it all ends. Rose flirting with herself, true love at last."

"Now Rose," he calls.

"What's the first line," She asks Future Rose.

"Okay kids, this is where it gets complicated."

"Gotcha," Rose and Kiam disappear into the box and the Future Rose and Kiam head over to Jack and him.

"So is that it are we okay now." She ask

"No, were still trapped"

The main door opens and this time Rose, Kiam and Jack come through. "What are you doing" He asks them.

"You told us to get into the police box," Future Jack replies.

He turns and looks behind him as the future Jack continues. "From your point of view your about to tell us to get in the police box, from our point of view you just told us to get into the police box. Which is why we got into the police box, which is why were here."

"Do I have to remember all of that." Jack asks.

"It just sort of happens," the Future Jack tells him.

"Hi," Rose waves to herself

"Hi," the Future Rose waves back.

"Hey stop that," He puts his hands on Rose and Jack's back and pushes them. "You three, in the police box now, Run."

"So what now," Rose says starting to come forward. He turns and holds up his hand. "You three, stay where you are."

"What are you doing," Jack asks.

"I'm setting up a controlled temporal implosion it's the only way to reset the Tardis. Unless I find exactly the right lever to control the implosion were all going to die."

"You don't which lever," Rose says.

"No, but i'm about to find out." He looks expectantly at the door.

His future self rushes in and between Jack and Rose. "The wibbly lever."

"The wibbly lever, thank you." he says pointing at himself.

He throws the lever and then runs into the police box. The Tardis separates it's self.

"Okay, we're back in normal flight. the Tardis is no longer inside itself," He puts his arms around Rose and Jack's necks. "and the whole time field is no longer about to implode and rip a hole in all causality but just in case." he looks Rose up and down. "You're going to put some trousers on."

She heads off and as she turns into the corridor he sees her beckoning him. He turns to Jack and smiles. "Watch Kiam," he says and takes off after her.


	40. Dreams and Hotels

He was sitting on the bus on midnight and Donna kneeled before him. He felt her in his mind and he was repeating her. He sees Rose come over and pull Donna away from him. Suddenly hands grab him and as he falls back he sees The Master looking down at him and dragging him towards the exit. He feels the heat of Gallifrey burning as he is thrown off the bus and the door shuts behind him. As he falls into the pit, his eyes shoot open.

He looks to his side and sees Rose with Kiam snuggled against her sound asleep. Kiam had grown leaps and bounds since Rose had been back. She worked tirelessly with him to improve his motor skills and he was almost at a normal two year olds level. But he still refused to talk. She had read all the books she could get her hands on and had worked with him but apart from the occasional Da Da or No the child was silent. Still determined to communicate with him she had taught him simple signs for eat and sleep and other basics.

As much as he loved Rose she couldn't stop the nightmares. He gets carefully out of bed and gets dressed. He needed a break and he knew exactly where he wanted to go.

-Dw-

He landed the Tardis and not bothering to wake anyone, he stepped outside. He was on Woman wept. The entire ocean, including the waves were frozen in an instant because of an event involving its sun. He found the Planet peaceful and had brought Rose here before. He spread out his coat and laid on his back looking up at the stars.

He laid out there for awhile until he heard someone coming. Rose laid down beside him and put her head on his chest. He put his arm around her and started stroking her hair gently.

"Nightmare?"

"Hmm"

"I wish I could help."

-DW-

He opened the door to reveal that The Tardis has parked herself on the first floor landing of a staircase which winds its way up the floors. There is elevator music playing.

"Let's go to Ravan-Skala, he says. The people are six hundred feet tall. You have to talk to them in hot air balloons and the Tourist Information Centre is made of one of their hats, he says." Rose turns to look at him, "I'm sorry, but I don't see any huge hats."

"Rose, Jackieboy, Kiam, this could be the most exciting thing I have ever seen." He says excitedly.

"You're kidding." Jack says.

"How can you be excited about a hotel on Earth?" Rose asks.

"Because, this is not Earth. This has just been made to look like Earth. The craftsmanship involved. Can you imagine?" He looks around excitedly.

"What? Then where are we?" ROse asks.

"I don't know. Something must have yanked us off course."

"Right, but who would mock up an Earth hotel?" Jack asks.

"Colonists maybe, recreating a bit of home, like when ex-pats open English pubs in Majorca. No, whoever did this, I am shaking his stroke her hand stroke tentacle.

"Have you seen these? Look at the labels underneath." Jack calls them over.

He pulls out his glasses and puts them on to look at the pictures on the wall. There is a picture of a Sontaran named Commander Halke and underneath it, it says Defeat. The next picture is of a man named Tim Heath and the caption says having his picture taken.

"Lady Silver-Tear, Daleks." He reads.

"Paige Barnes, other people's socks. Tim Nelson, balloons. Novice Prin, sabrewolves. Royston Luke Gold, Plymouth? Lucy Hayward, that brutal gorilla." Jack says

"Doctor, what does it mean?" Rose asks concerned.

"I don't know. Let's find out." He heads over to the reception desk and rings the bell. Three people appear in front of him. Two of them look human and have weapons, and the third one is a grey alien with slightly rodent teeth and no hair of them is waving a white flag. He glares at them.

"We surrender." Says the alien.

"No, it's okay, we're nice," Rose says.

"We surrender." The alien says again.

"She's threatening me with a chair leg." He says his voice cold.

"Who are you?" The female of the group asks.

"Oh god, we're back in reception." Says the male.

"We surrender."

"I've never been threatened with a chair leg before." He says again coldly, suddenly he gets a grin on his face and sounds happy. "No, hang on, I tell a lie."

"Did you just say, it's okay, we're nice?" Jack asks Rose and she shrugs.

"Okay, I need everyone to shut up, now." The female says.

"Rita, be careful, yeah?" The male says.

"Their pupils are dilated. They're as surprised as we are. Besides which, if it's a trick, it'll tell us something." Rita says.

"Oh, you're good. Oh, she's good. Jack, with regret, you're fired."

"What?"

"I'm kidding." He mouth's we'll talk at her and then continues on in a normal tone. "I take it from the pathological compulsion to surrender, you're from Tivoli."

"Yes. The most invaded planet in the galaxy. Our anthem is called Glory To Insert Name Here." he hears Rose snickering behind him.

"You, Howie, you said you were surprised to be back in reception."

"The walls move. Everything changes." Howie explains.

"Rita, What's he talking about?"

"The corridors twist and stretch. Rooms vanish and pop up somewhere else. It's like the hotel's alive." She explains.

He notices where the music is coming out of and reaches over and turns it off. "That's quite enough of that."

"Yeah, and it's huge, with, like, no way out." Howie says.

"Have you tried the front door?" Jack ask.

"No. In two days it never occurred to us to try the front door. Thank God you're here." Rita answers sarcastically. Rose laughs at Jack as he turns red.

He walks over to the doors and pulls them open to reveal a solid wall behind them. "They're not doors, they're walls. I mean, the windows are, " He walks over to the curtains and pulls them back to reveal another solid wall. "Right, big day if you're a fan of walls."

"It's not just that. The rooms have things in them." Rita says.

"What sort of things?"

"Nightmares."


	41. The God Complex

The silence is deafening for a moment while that sinks in. He had plenty of nigtmares while he slept, he didn't like the thought they would be part of his days as well. "Well, that killed the mood." He runs his hands down his face. "How did you get here?" He asked finally.

"I don't know. I'd just started my shift. I must have passed out, because suddenly I was here." Rita says

"I was blogging. Next thing, this." Howie tells him.

"Oh, I was at work. I'm in Town Planning. We're lining all the highways with trees so invading forces can march in the shade." Gibbis says.

"Ah." He says and looks over at Rose. She rolls her eyes and mouths to him "He can't be serious." He just raises his eyebrow at her.

"Which is nice for them." Gibbis continues.

"So, what have we got. People snatched from their lives and dropped into an endless, shifting maze that looks like a 1980s hotel with Nightmares in the bedrooms. Well, apart from anything else, that's just rude." He scoops up Kiam and starts to run up the stairs, determined to get everyone out of the hotel. "We'll pop back to the Tardis, I'll do a planet-wide diagnostic sweep, and then we'll have a sing song."

"Where's the Tardis? You parked it there, didn't you?" Rose asks him.

"What's a Tardis?" Howie ask

"Our way out. And it's gone." Jack says.

To make matters worse at that moment the music starts up again, as though the hotel is taunting them. "Okay, this is bad. At the moment, I don't know how bad and I really don't like not knowing. Are there any more of you?"

"Joe. But he's tied up right now." Rita says.

"Doing what?" He ask her.

"No, I mean he's tied up right now." She replies.

They head back down the stairs and Rita leads them to a set of double doors. Not knowing what he will find he sets Kiam down by Rose and watches as she takes his hand. He pulls out the sonice and opens one of the doors. The first thing he notices that all the tables have ventiloquist's dummies sit at them laughing. It goes silent as he goes inside and notices the man sitting in the middle of them tied to the chair. He heads over to the man with the others following behind him.

"Hello. I'm the Doctor."

"We're going to die here." Joe says.

"Well, they certainly didn't mention that in the brochure. Is Joe there? Can I have a word."

"Oh, it's still me, Doctor, but I've seen the light. I lived a blasphemous life, but he has forgiven my inconstancy, and soon he shall feast."

"Well, you've been here two days. What's he waiting for?"

"We weren't ready. We were still raw."

"But now you're what, cooked?" He looks at Joe carefully and notices he has a horseshoe tie clip and dice cufflinks. Realizing he is still holding the sonic he puts it back in his pocket.

"If you like. Soon you will be, too. Be patient. First, find your room."

"My room."

"There's a room here for everyone, Doctor. Even you."

"You said you'd seen the light now."

"Nothing else matters anymore. Only him. It's like these things. I used to hate them. They make me laugh now. Gottle o' geer. Gottle o' geer." The room fills with laughter again. "You should go. He'll be here soon."

Determined not to leave the man he looks around and sees a luggage trolly. He gestures at it and watches as Jack sees it and then brings it to him. "I think you should come with me." He takes Joe out of the room with them.

"Why you four? That's what I don't understand."

"What does it matter? Sooner or later, someone will come along and rescue us. Or enslave us." Gibbis says.

"First, we find the Tardis. Quick thing before we go. If you feel drawn to a particular room, do not go in, and make sure someone else can see you at all times. Rose you and Kiam stay close to me."

Rose takes his hand. "Did that even need saying." She asks him. He turns to her and smiles and picks up Kiam again in his free arm.

"Joe said, he will feast. Is there something here with us?"

"Something to add, Joe?" He says.

"Here comes a candle to light you to bed. Here comes a chopper to chop off your head. Chop, chop, chop, chop." Joe says.

"Can we do something about him?" Howie asks.

Jack finds some tape at the reception desk and he tries half heartedly from taping the man's mouth shut but he didn't want to hear it anymore either. They set off down the corridor.

"Personally, I think you've got the right idea. Times like this, I think of my old school motto. Resistance Is Exhausting." Gibbis says.

"I've worked out where we are." Howie says. "Norway."

"Norway?" Jack says sounding surprised.

"You see, the US government has entire cities hidden in the Norwegian mountains. You see, Earth is on a collision course with this other planet, and this is where they're going to send all the rich people when it kicks off."

"Amazing." Jack tells him.

"It's all there on the internet." Howie sounds proud.

"RORY: No, it's amazing you've come up with a theory even more insane than what's actually happening." Jack says.

As they are walking a door opens and a man in shorts steps out with a whistle around his neck. He looks at the group and says. "Have you forgotten your PE kit again? Right, that's it, you're doing it in your pants!" Before returning to the room and closing the door.

Further down he sees Howie staring at a door. As Howie reaches for the door handle he calls out to him "Don't!" and rushes over but it is too late. Howie opens the door to reveal the room is full of girls.

"Oh, look, girls, it's H-H-H-Howie!"

"What's loser in K-K-K-Klingon?"

"Shut the d, d, d, the door. This is just some m, m, messed up CIA stuff, I'm, I'm, I'm telling you." Howie says frozen in the doorway.

He releases Rose's hand and grabs the doorhandle pulling the door closed tightly. "You're right. Keep telling yourself that. It's a CIA thing, nothing more."

They continue walking. Something roars in the distance.

"Okay, whatever that is, it's not real, yeah?" Rose says.

"No. No, I'm sure it isn't, but just in case, let's hide anyway. In here." He pulls her into a room with him as Howie follows.

"No, this way! I've found a..." Jack cuts off and then stands there.

"Jack, come on!"

"There was a..." But he interupts him "Come on!"

He closes the door behind them as Jack enters the room and turns around to see three Weeping Angels standing in front of them. He stops mid stride as Rose says. "Don't blink."

"What?" Howie asks as the lights flicker. When they come back on the Angels have moved closer.

"Rose, get back." The lights flicker again. "Why haven't they got us yet?" He says confused. He steps forward and taking a deep breath tries to touch the angel, surprised when his hand goes right through it.

"Rose, they're not real."

"What?" She asks confused.

"They should have got us by now. Rose, look at me. Focus on me. It's your bad dream, that's all." He tells her.

"I don't even think they're for us." Jack says.

He hears stomping going down the corridor and heads back to the door, leaning over to look through the peep hole in the door. He sees a large creature with horns and fur walking in front of the door.

"Oh, look at you. Oh, you are beautiful." He sees Joe exit from the door across the hall. "I think it's going after Joe."

"Come on, come to me. Come to me. Argh!" Joe yells.

He goes out into the corridor and sees a shadow turning the corner at the end, "Leave him alone." He takes off running. The corridors are all the same. "Joe" He calls out and keeps running. Finally he comes across the man slumped against the wall. He pulls out the sonic ans scans him and confirms he is dead. "What happened." he says softly.

-DW-

They were in the kitchen of the hotel. Jack had laid Joe's body on the table and he was scanning him again to see if he could find something new. Something to tell him how Joe died.

"What exactly happened to him?" Rita says coming up behind him.

"He died."

"You are a medical doctor, aren't you? You haven't just got a degree in cheese-making or something." Rita asks.

"No! Well, yes, both, actually." He pauses for a second and then continues. "But there is no cause. All his vital organs simply stopped, as if the simple spark of life, his loves and hates, his faiths and fears were just taken," He takes the cup she hands him and looks at it. "And this is a cup of tea."

"Of course, I'm British, it's how we cope with trauma. That and tutting."

"But how did you make it?" He smells it and then takes a sip, happy to find out it is real tea.

"All hotels should have a well stocked kitchen, even alien fake ones. I heard you talking when you arrived. Look, it's no more ridiculous than Howie's CIA theory, or mine."

"Which is?"

"This is Jahannam." She says simply.

"You're a Muslim. Ha! You think this is Hell."

"The whole '80s hotel thing took me by surprise, though." She says jokingly.

"And all these fears and phobias wandering about, most are completely unconnected to us, so why are they still here?" He wonders aloud.

"Maybe the cleaners have gone on strike." She says.

"Ha! I like you. But this isn't Hell, Rita" He looks over at Rose and Kiam sitting at a nearby table with Jack. Some how she had found crisps and the three of them were eating them laughing. He smiles. He couldn't be in Hell as long as they were here.

"You don't understand. I say that without fear. Jahannam will play its tricks, and there'll be times when I want to run and scream, but I've tried to live a good life, and that knowledge keeps me sane, despite the monsters and the bonkers rooms. Gibbis is an alien, isn't he?"

"Yeah. Sorry."

"Okay. I'm going to file that under Freak Out About Later." Rita says.

"Doctor, look at this. I found it in a corridor, I completely forgot I had it." Rose comes over and hands him a sheet of paper. He puts on his glasses and reads aloud.

"My name is Lucy Hayward and I'm the last one left. It took Luke first. It got him on his first day, almost as soon as we arrived. It's funny. You don't know what's going to be in your room until you see it, then you realise it could never have been anything else. I just saw mine. It was a gorilla from a book I'd read as a kid. My God, that thing used to terrify me. The gaps between my worships are getting shorter, like contractions. This is what happened to the others, and how lucky they were. It's all so clear now. I'm so happy. Praise him.  
Praise him." He lowers the paper.

"Praise him." Howie says.

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing. Praise him!" Howie says again.

"This is what happened to Joe!" Gibbis says backing away.

"God, it's going to come for me now." Howie says.

"You'll lead it right here." Gibbis tells him.

"I won't leave you. I promise you. You have my word on that." He tells Howie.

"I don't want to get eaten." Howie says sadly.

"He's going to lead the creature right here!" Gibbis says.

"Hold it!" He sets his sonic to chime loudly. The room falls silent. "Thank You."

"Don't you see? He'll lead it right here. Look, whatever it is out there, it's obviously chosen Howard as its next course. Now, tragic though that is, this is no time for sentiment. I'm saying if it were to find him, it may be satisfied and let the rest of us go. All I want to do is go home and be conquered and oppressed. Is that too much to ask?!" Gibbis asks.

"It's okay. I'll stay with Howie. You take the others and go." Rita says to him.

"No. We stay together." He tells them and then heads over to Gibbis. "Your civilization is one of the oldest in the galaxy. Now I see why. Your cowardice isn't quaint, it's sly, aggressive. It's how that gene of gutlessness has survived while so many others have perished. Well, not today. No one else dies today. Right? Brilliant. Howie, any second, it's going to possess you again. When it does, I'm going to ask you some questions. Please try to answer them."

"I hope my mum's all right, she's going to be w, worried." The man's face goes blank and then he smiles."

"Howie? Howie. Howie, you're next. We're all dead jealous. So, tell us. How do we get a piece of the action? Why isn't he possessing all of us?"

"You guys have got all these distractions, all these obstacles. It'd be so much easier if you just let it go, you know? Clear the path."

"You want it to find you even though you know what it's going to do?" Rose asks him surprised.

"Are you kidding? He's going to kill us all. How cool is that?" Howie sounds estatic.

He turns and walks away from Howie leading the rest of them away. He wraps his arm around Rose and kisses her on the head.

"It's as I thought. It feeds on fear. Everything, the rooms, Lucy's note, even the pictures in reception, has been put here to frighten us. So we have to resist it. Do whatever you have to. Cross your fingers, say a prayer, think of a basket of kittens, but do not give in to the fear." He tells them

"Okay, but what are we actually going to do?" Rose asks him.

"We're going to catch ourselves a monster." He says.


	42. The God Complex part 2

He uses the sonic to tap into the intercom and leaves Gibbis with Howie. He quickly explains his plan to the rest and heads up to the spa they passed during their wandering.

"Bring me death! Bring me glory! My master, my lord, I'm here! Come to me. I'm waiting here for you. He has promised me a glorious death. Give it to me now. I want him to know my devotion. Praise him. Praise him." Howie says happily over the speakers.

The creature enters the room and he hears Rita and Rose slam the door behind him.

"Jack he's in" Rose calls out.

Jack closes and jams the other door. He takes out his sonic and turns the lights off.

"Let his name be the last thing I hear. Let his breath on my skin be the last thing I feel. I was lost in shadows, but he found me. His love was a beacon that led me from darkness to light, and now I am blinded by his majesty. Humbled by his glory! Praise..."

"That's quite enough of that." He says and pulls out the wires.

He looks at the Minotaur standing in front of him. "Nothing personal. I just think we should take things slowly. Get to know each other. You take people's most primal fears and pop it in a room. A tailor-made hell, just for them. Why?"

The Minotaur snarls at him.

"Did you say they take? Ah, what is that word? The guard? No, the warden? This is a prison." He says suddenly the truth of the matter dawning on him. "So what are we, cell mates? Lunch? We are not ripe. This is what Joe said, that we weren't ready. So, what, what, you make us ready. You what? Replace? Replace what, fear?" The creature snarls again. "You have lived so long even your name is lost. You want this to stop. Because you are just instinct. Then tell me. Tell me how to fight you."

He waits for the Minotaur to reply but instead he hears "My master, my lord. I'm here! Oh, bring me death."

"No, no, no, no, no! Jack, watch out"

Rita burst through the Door with Rose slightly behind her, holding Kiam's hand tightly. "Stay back!" He tells them.

The Minotaur smashes a glass door and knocks Jack down as it heads out of the room."

"Rose, bring the fish." He calls out as he takes off after the Minotaur.

"What, the fish? Oh, the fish." Rose calls after him.

"Where'd he go?" He says as he runs the corridors looking for the Minotaur or Howie. He comes across Howie's glasses first. Looking further down the Corridor he sees Howie's body. He kneels down and gently puts the glasses in Howie's hand. He hears footsteps in front of him and looks up to see Gibbis appraching him. "He got free. He overpowered me. It might leave us alone now. Maybe now we'll be safe." He ignores Gibbis and leans down and picks Howie's body up and heads back down to the kitchen. "Wait!" Gibbis calls after him.

-DW-

He is back on the first floor landing with Jack. Rose continued down to the Lobby with Kiam to find somewhere to set down the fishbowl.

"Have you found your room yet?" He asks Jack.

"No. Is that good or bad?"

"Maybe you're not scared of anything." He tells him.

"Well, after all the time I spent with you in the Tardis and all the time I have been alive, what is there left to be scared of?"

"You said that in the past tense."

"No, I didn't. You know, Howie had been in speech therapy. He'd just got over this massive stammer. What an achievement. I mean, can you imagine? I'd forgotten not all victories are about saving the universe." Jack said sadly. Rita comes down the stairs in front of them.

"Rita! Brilliant! How are you? Not panicking, are you? I am just about to get us out of here."

"Why?"

"Excellent question. Why what?"

"Why is it up to you to save us? That's quite a God complex you have there." Rita tells him.

"Because I brought them here. That is my Rose and my child and Jack, is well, Jack. I would say it was her choice in the beginning but offer someone all of time and space and they'll take it."

He heads down the corridor and as he does he hears a noise coming from behind one of the doors with the number 10 on it. He knows he shouldn't but he heads over it and opens the door. The room is lit red and he hears the cloister bell. He sees himself standing there eyes glowing gold from the Heart of the Tardis.

"Of course. Who else?" He says quietly to himself as he shuts the door and puts the Do Not Disturb sign on the handle. He heads back down to the lobby.

-DW-

He finds a security room with nine televisions in it showing different parts of the hotel. He stares at them searching for the Minotaur when he notices Rita walking on the one in the corner. He looks at the nearest room number to her picks up the phone and dials the number. He watches as she stops and turns towards the room heading inside of it. The phone picks up but she doesn't say anything.

"Rita, where are you going?" When he didn't recieve an answer he asked. "Can you take the phone into the corridor? Will it reach?" He sees her appear on the camara again. A huge grin is plastered on her face. "You started to praise it, didn't you?" He says sadly and she nods. "Rita, come back, please. We'll find a way to stop it, I swear to you."

"No, I need to get as far away from you all as possible." Rita finally says.

"No, you don't. The creature only wants whoever's praising it." He tries to explain to her.

"And then you'll put yourself in its way."

"I'm coming to get you. Block out the fear and stay focused on your belief." He tells her.

"The hotel will keep us apart. I could be fifty miles away by now. I want you to do me one last favour, Doctor. I can feel the rapture approaching, like a wave. I don't want you to witness this. I want you to remember me the way I was."

Rose, Kiam and Jack enter the room.

"What's going on? Rita's disappeared. What's she doing there?" Rose asks him.

"Rita. Rita, please. Let me find you." He says desperate to save her. He had all ready lost two people he didn't want to lose a third.

"You stay where you are. Please, let me be robbed of my faith in private." Rita says over the phone.

"Rita. Go into the room. Lock the door." He finds himself begging her.

"I'm not frightened. I'm blessed, Doctor. I'm at peace. I'm going to hang up. Goodbye, Doctor, Thank you for trying." She hangs up the phone. He watches her smiling, as the shadow of the Minotaur is cast over her. He feels Rose's hand on his shoulder and he pulls out his Sonic and shuts the screen off.

-DW-

Finding her body was easy after that. He took her and laid her in the kitchen next to the others and then he felt his rage and frustration over take him. He smashed the plates sitting on the counter. Threw the glass against the wall. He saw a china cabinet and walked over to it and with a little effort tipped it over. Then acting if nothing happened he walked over to where Rose was sitting and picked up Kiam off the chair and sat down with the little boy on his lap. He put his arm around Rose and pulled her close to him wanting to feel her warmth.

"Okay. It preys on people's fear and possesses them. But Rita wasn't afraid. She was brave and calm. Maybe it's something to do with the people, some connection between the four of you that'll tell me how to fight it."

"Yes, you keep saying that, but you never do. And while we wait, people keep dying. And we'll be next." Gibbis says.

"Look, he'll work it out. He always does. Just let him riff and move anything expensive out of his way." Rose tells Gibbis in the same voice she used when she was talking to Kiam.

"No," he says suddenly.

"Doctor, what is wrong?"

"It's not fear. It's faith. Not just religious faith, faith in something. Howard believed in conspiracies, that external forces controlled the world. Joe had dice cufflinks and a chain with a horseshoe. He was a gambler. Gamblers believe in luck, an intangible force that helps them win or lose. Gibbis has rejected any personal autonomy and is waiting for the next batch of invaders to oppress him and tell him what to do. They all believe there's something guiding them, about to save them. That's what it replaces. Every time someone was confronted with their most primal fear, they fell back on their most fundamental faith. And all this time, I have been telling you to dig deep, find the thing that keeps you brave. I made you expose your faith, show them what they needed." he said turning pale.

"But why us? Why are we here?" Jack asks

"It doesn't want you. That's why it kept showing you a way out. You're not religious or superstitious, so there's no faith for you to fall back on." He turns his head to look at Rose, "It wants her."

"Me? Why?" She asks.

"Your faith in me. That's what brought us here." He says finally.

"But why do they lose their faith before they die and start worshipping it?" Jack asks him confused.

"It needs to convert the faith into a form it can consume. Faith is an energy, the specific emotional energy the creature needs to live. Which is why at the end of her note, Lucy said..."

"Praise him." Rose finishes.

He starts to look happy and then realizing the smile on her face, his face falls. "No, Rose, No. Please not you." He held her tightly.

She breaks free from his grip and takes off out of the kitchen. Not even pausing to think he stands up with Kiam and takes off after her.

"Rose, What are you doing?" he says when he catches up to her.

"He is beautiful." She says with the same smile.

"Leave her! Just leave her!" Gibbis tells him

He grabs Rose around the waist and struggling he half drags her and half carries her into the nearest room. He lets her go as Jack shuts the door behind them and leans against it. He turns to see another Rose standing in the room looking out the window. She is wearing the same clothes she was wearing when he had tried to leave in Pete's World.

Rose drops to her knees and he sets Kiam down and drops to his knees beside her and puts his hand on her back.

"Doctor, it's happening. It's changing me. It's changing my thoughts." She says.

"I can't save you from this. There's nothing I can do to stop this." He says every word tearing into his heart and he has to struggle to keep his voice calm.

"What?"

"I stole your future away from you and now I've led you by the hand to your death. But the worst thing is, I knew. I knew this would happen. This is what always happens. Forget your faith in me. I took you with me because I was vain." The Minotaur breaks into the room.  
"Because I wanted to be adored. Look at you. Rose Tyler, the Bad Wolf. I'm not a hero. I really just leave people behind when I tire of them. And it's time we saw each other as we really are." He listens but the Minotaur isn't getting any closer. "Rose Tyler, I think it's time I took you and Kiam home." He turns away from the tears streaming down her face. Wanting more than anything to apologize but knowing he must finish this first. He sees the Minotaur collapse on the floor and then the lights flicker. He stand up and goes over to it.

"I severed the food supply, sacrificing their faith in me." He says softly to it. "I gave you the space to die." He strokes the Minotaur's fur comforting it as it lays dying. The hotel disappears and he finds them standing in a type of holodeck.

"What is it, a minotaur or an alien? Or an alien minotaur? That's not a question I thought I'd be asking this morning." Jack asks him. He watches Jack go over and help Rose up. Comforting her as she continues to cry in his shoulder.

"It's both, actually. Yeah. Here we go. Distant cousin of the Nimon. They descend on planets and set themselves up as gods to be worshipped. Which is fine, until the inhabitants get all secular and advanced enough to build bonkers prisons." He says.

"Where are the guards?" Jack asks.

"No need for any. It's all automated. It drifts through space, snatching people with belief systems and converts their faith into food for the creature."

"According to the in-flight recorder, the programme developed glitches. It got stuck on the same setting, the fears from the people before us weren't tidied away." The Minotaur Growls.

"What's it saying?" Jack asks him.

"An ancient creature, drenched in the blood of the innocent, drifting in space through an endless, shifting maze. For such a creature, death would be a gift." He pauses. "Then accept it, and sleep well. I wasn't talking about myself." The Minotaur stops breathing.

"Could I have a lift? Just to the nearest galaxy would do." Gibbis asks.

-DW-

He dropped Gibbis off and then sent the Tardis back to the Time Vortex. He heads down to Rose's room. He hears sobbing coming through the door and not bothering to knock opens the door slowly. He sees her laying on her bed. Her body curled in the fetal position, her eyes closed and her face is stained with tears. The sight breaks his heart and he has to fight to keep from crying to. He goes over to the bed and sits on the edge of it and touches her back. She jumps at his touch and that is all it takes. The tears flow freely down his face. He lays down in front of her and pulls her close to him.

"Rose," he says "You're not going anywhere. You and Kiam are my life. I am sorry. I am so so sorry, I had to say those things to save your life." He tells her. She stays tense crying against him but not pulling away.

"Promise," She chokes out.

"Promise" he says and she collapses into him and he lays there holding her knowing the day was coming when she would leave him and he knew on that day he would die as well.


	43. Venice

Rose refused to come to their room that night to sleep. So he got Kiam ready for bed and brought the little boy to her. He stayed busy that night working on the endless repairs the Tardis needed and when morning came he went to wake them. He opened her door and found them gone all ready. Not thinking anything of it he went to the kitchen and only Jack was there.

"Where's Kiam and Rose," He asked and Jack shrugged in reply. Decideding that Rose needed some space, he kept busy that morning. But when lunchtime rolled around and then Dinner and she still hadn't returned, he found himself taking the familiar steps to the swimming pool.

Jack was there pretending to be asleep in one of the chairs. He ignored the fact he had seen Jack reading as he entered the room and instead headed to the edge of the pool and dove in. He swam laps until his muscles began to ache and then taking a deep breath, swam to the bottom of the pool and sat down. As he closed his eyes he saw a figure move to the edge of the pool. He sat there listening to his heart beats and trying to clear his head. When the need for air overtook him, he fought it and tried to remain calm. He fought it as long as he could and then pushed himself to the surface.

Jack leaned down and offered him a hand and he took it.

"Impressive, not the best I've seen but still impressive. No wonder Donna and Martha were worried." Jack said.

"Thanks." he managed as he caught his breath.

When he went back to his room to change. Kiam was sitting on the bed smiling at him. "Hey buddy where's your mom." All he got in reply was Kiam putting his hand on the side of his head and tilting his head. He smiled and laid down on the bed and lifted the blankets. Kiam crawled under them and he tucked him in. He put his arm around his baby and started to tell him the story of the Timelord and the Three Daleks.

When Kiam was asleep, he went to Rose's room to see if she was back. He didn't find her there, so he headed towards the Console room. As he passed by the living area he saw her. She had music playing and was dancing around the room. He stood in the door way watching her until she noticed him. She turned red and headed to the stero to turn the music off. He came up behind her and grabbed her hips and put his head on her shoulder rocking with her. He kissed her cheek and then spun her around to face him. He held her close and rocked with her. He pressed his mouth to her and kissed her passionately.

He picked her up, and then headed down the corridor to her room.

-DW-

"Venice." He said happily stepping off of the Tardis. "Venezia. La Serenissima. Impossible city. Preposterous city. Founded by refugees running from Attila the Hun. It was just a collection of little wooden huts in the middle of the marsh, but became one of the most powerful cities in the world. Constantly being invaded, constantly flooding, constantly just beautiful. Ah, you got to love Venice. So many people did. Byron, Napoleon, Casanova. Ooo, that reminds me. 1580. That's all right. Casanova doesn't get born for a hundred and forty five years. Don't want to run into him. I owe him a chicken."

"You owe Casanova a chicken?" Jack asked him amused.

"Long story. We had a bet."

"What sort of bet."

"Don't you start."

An Inspector comes up them. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Papers, if you please. Proof of residency, current bill of medical inspection."

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his psychic Paper. "There you go, fellow. All to your satisfaction, I think you'll find."

"I am so sorry, Your Holiness. I didn't realise." The man says

"No worries. You were just doing your job. Sorry, what exactly is your job?"

"Checking for aliens. Visitors from foreign lands what might bring the plague with them." The inspector looks at Jack can't help but laugh.

"You brought our son to The Plague." Rose said in disbelief.

"Don't worry, Viscountess. No, we're under quarantine here. No one comes in, no one goes out, and all because of the grace and wisdom of our patron, Signora Rosanna Calvierri."

"How interesting. I heard the plague died out years ago." He tells the man.

"Not out there. No, Signora Calvierri has seen it with her own eyes. Streets are piled high with bodies, she said."

"Did she now" He watches Jack take the psychic paper from the Inspector.

"This says I am your eunuch." Jack says unhappily.

"Yes, well, moving on. Allons-y." He took Rose's hand and headed off. He could still hear Jack grumbling about he would show him eunuch.

They come to the Canal and stop to watch a procession of women heading across a courtyard. All of them are dressed alike. As he watches a man comes up and he sees them arguing. Leaving Rose and Kiam with Jack he hurries and finds the man coming out of an alleyway.

"Who are those girls?" He asked him.

"I thought everyone knew about the Calvierri school." The man answered him.

"My first day here. It's okay. Parents do all sorts of things to get their children into good schools. They move house, they change religion. So why are you trying to get her out?"

"Something happens in there. Something magical, something evil. My own daughter didn't recognise me. And the girl who pushed me away, her face, like an animal."

"I think it's time I met this Signora Calvierri."


	44. Vampire in Venice

They went to the House of Calvierri and Guido proveded a distration while he snuck around to the gate and used his sonic to unlock the gate and enter. He headed down a stone staircase and entered a room with a high roof and a mirror on the wall. On one side of the room there was a door and the other side had a mirror facing the door. Finding it strange he walked over to the mirror and soniced it. Slightly disappointed he found nothing, he turns towards the door. To see five women standing there in white robes. He looks back at the mirror confused and not seeing them reflected in it, he pulls out the sonic and scans one of them. He flips it open and looks at the results.

"Well you're definitely here, but what are you, hmmm?" He ask them.

"Who are you?" They ask in unison.

"How are you doing that? I am loving it." He says cheerily.

"I'll ask you again, signor. Who are you?"

"Why don't you check this out?" He pulls out his psychic paper and shows it to the girls. They stare blankly at it. He turns and looks at it and sees that it is his library card and he realizes that Jack still has the psychic paper. He groans to himself at the trouble Jack could get into with it.

"Pale, creepy girls who don't like sunlight and can't be seen." He stares at them. "Ha. Am I thinking what I think I'm thinking? But the city. Why shut down the city? Unless..."

"Leave now, signor, or we shall call for the Steward, if you are lucky."

"Tell me the whole plan." He pauses and waits for an answer. "One day that will work. Listen, I would love to stay here. This whole thing. I'm thrilled."

The girls teeth turn into needles, and they start to advance on him hissing. Disappointed he turns and heads back up the stairs.

He finds Rose and Jack by the canal. Jack is holding Kiam and the little boy has his head rested on Jack's shoulder.

"Doctor," Rose says excitedly.

"I just met some vampires." He says happily. At the sound of his voice, Kiam lifts up his head and reaches out to him. He takes Kiam in his arms and Kiam sighs and puts his head down on his father's shoulder. He looks over at him and Kiam smiles brightly at him and turns his head away. He starts to turn his head and sees Kiam lift his head a little and peek at him before bursting in to laughter. If you would have asked him three years ago, what distracted him, he wouldn't have thought about a game of peek a boo. But here he was 907 and he was distracted by just that. He continued their game for a few minutes until he hears Rose clear her throat.

"Right," He says turning his attention to her. "I need to get back in that house and I know someone who can help us. Allons-y" and he takes Rose's hand and heads towards Guido's house.

-Dw-

At Guido's house he sat at studied a map of Venice with Jack.

"As you saw, there's no clear way in. The House of Calvierri is like a fortress. But there's a tunnel underneath it, with a ladder and shaft that leads up into the house. I tried to get in once myself, but I hit a trapdoor." Guido tells him.

"You need someone on the inside." Rose says casually.

"No." He says.

"You don't even know what I was going to say." Rose pouts

"That we pretend you're an applicant for the school to get you inside, and tonight you come down and open the trapdoor to let us in." He looks up from the map and smiles at her, before turning his attention back to it.

"Oh. So you do know what I was going to say."

"Are you insane?" Jack asks her.

"We don't have another option."

"He said no, Rose. Listen to him."

"There is another option." Guido points to a collection of barrels behind Jack.

"I work at the Arsenale. We build the warships for the navy." Guido tells them.

Jack walks over and sniffs one of the barrels, "Gunpowder. Most people just nick stationery from where they work. Look, I have a thing about guns and huge quantities of explosive."

"What do you suggest, then? We wait until they turn her into an animal?" Guido Asks.

"I'll be there three, four hours, tops." Rose says.

"No. I can't put you into danger again," he pauses, "But I have to know. We go together, say you're my daughter."

"Your daughter?"

"Brother, then." He tells her.

"Too weird. Fiancé." Jack says. They both look at each other.

"You should do it. I mean, they've already seen the Doctor." Rose tells Jack and Jack shivers under the look that crosses the Doctor's face at him.

"Me" Jack choked out.

"Yeah. You can be my brother." Rose says.

"This whole thing is mental. They're vampires, for God's sake."

"We hope." he says.

"So if they're not vampires?" Rose asks him and he turns to look at her, his face softening from the look he had continued to give Jack.

"Makes you wonder what could be so bad it doesn't actually mind us thinking it's a vampire."

Jack takes Rose into the building and returns without her to where he is waiting with Guido and Kiam by a gondola. "So," he asks Jack as he gets close.

"It worked. She's in."

Guido climbs into the gondola followed by Jack. He hands Kiam over to him before climbing in the Gondola himself.

"Do you really think it's safe to bring Kiam."

"What other choice do I have." He answers with a hint of sadness in his voice, he shakes his head and then trying to sound more cheerful. "Besides why should he get to miss all the fun." He smiles down at his son who is sitting on the bottom of the gondola. "

"We're here." Guido annouces.

"Right. Okay, I'll go first." He turns towards Jack. "If anything happens to me, you take Kiam and go back."

Guido hands them torches and they head down a long tunnel as they near the end he notices a trapdoor before a strange wind blows the torch out. Jack gets on his hands and knees and he climbs on his back and out of the trap door. He leans down and Jack lifts Kiam up at him and he pulls the little boy out. He starts to close the trap door.

"Doctor," Jack says wearily.

He sets Kiam down and leans over and pulls Jack out as well. "Come on now. Where's Rose?"

"I can't see a thing. Just as well I brought this, then." Jack reaches into his pocket and pulls out a tiny penlight. He smiles at Jack and pulls out a small light saber.

"Ultraviolet. Portable sunlight." He says happily.

"Yours is bigger than mine." Jack teases.

"Oh, Jackie Boy you have no idea." He takes Kiam's hand and sets off again. They walk into a courtyard that has several chest in it. He walks over to them and opens it to find a body that looks mummified.

"They've had all the moisture taken out of them." He says after a quick scan with the sonic.

"Sounds like a vampire. Don't they drink your blood and replace it with their own?"

"Yeah, except these people haven't just had their blood taken, but all the water in their entire bodies. Except these ones didn't survive the process" He closes the lid again.

"Who are you?" Voices say in unison behind him. They turn to see six girls standing behind them. He quickly picks up Kiam and looks at Jack. "Run" and they take off down the corridor again. There way is briefly blocked by three people.

He hears Rose say from the room ahead. "She bit me."

The people though continue to block his way.

"This rescue plan. Not exactly watertight, is it?" The female says and he pulls out his UV light and they cower away from him.

"Ah ha!" He says happily. Rose and another girl dressed in white run in. Rose runs straight into his arms and hugs him.

"Quickly, through here." The girl says and starts down a tunnel.

He looks at Rose. "I think it's okay, she untied me." Rose tells him and so they start down the tunnel after her.

"They're not vampires." Rose says as they hurry onward. "I saw them. I saw her. They're not vampires, they're aliens."

They reach a door and he pulls out his sonic. "Classic." He tells her and opens the door. The others catch up them and he passes Kiam to Rose and send them on ahead while he uses the UV light to keep the others at bay.

They make it out another door and into sunlight. Rose and Jack rush down the steps and to the gondola where Guido is waiting for them.

"Quickly, quickly. Get out. Quick. Quick." The girl tells them but as she tries to run out the door as well, the sunlight touches her skin and she recoils backwards.

"Come on. Run." He says noticing she has stopped.

"I can't." She says and she is pulled back into the tunnels and the door is closed. He runs to the door and upon touching it gets shocked. Angry he runs down the stairs and they get into the gondola and head off.

-DW-

He enters the building again alone, having sent the rest back to Guido's where it is safe. He walks straight up to her throne and sits on it and waits for her to come back.

"Long way from Saturnyne, aren't you, Sister of the Water?" He says once he sees her enter.

"No, let me guess. The owner of the psychic paper. Then I take it you're a refugee, like me?" She asks him.

"I'll make you a deal. An answer for an answer. You're using a perception filter. It doesn't change your features, but manipulates the brainwaves of the person looking at you. But seeing one of you for the first time in, say, a mirror, the brain doesn't know what to fill the gap with, so leaves it blank, hence no reflection." He rambles off.

"Your question?"

"Why can we see your teeth?" He asks finally.

"Self preservation over rides the mirage. The subconscious perceives the threat and tries to alert the conscious brain."

"Where's Isabella?"

She smirks at him. "My turn. Where are you from?"

"Gallifrey."

"You should be in a museum. Or in a mausoleum."

"Why are you here?"

"We ran from the Silence. Why are you here?" She retorts.

"A present to cheer someone up. The Silence?"

"They are a religious movement. Saturnyne was lost."

"That's a little far for just a religious movement. So Earth is to become Saturnyne Mark Two? "

"And you can help me. We can build a new society here, as others have. What do you say?"

"Where's Isabella?" He asks not answering her question.

"Isabella?" She asks him.

"The girl who saved my friend."

"Oh, deserters must be executed. Any general will tell you that. I need an answer, Doctor. A partnership. Any which way you choose."

"I don't think that's such a good idea, do you? I'm a Time Lord. You're a big fish. Think of the children." He mocks her.

"Carlo?" She calls out before looking back at him. "You're right. We're nothing alike. I will bend the heavens to save my race, while you philosophize." She pokes at the old wound.

He stands up and goes over to her as Carlo enters and puts his hand on his shoulder. "This ends today. I will tear down the House of Calvierri, stone by stone." He shakes the man's hand off. "And you know why?" He gets right in her face. "You didn't know Isabella's name." He heads outside and hears Carlo call from them to open the gates. He turns and heads back to Guido's house.

-DW-

He examines the puncture wounds on Rose's neck with the sonic. "You're fine." He tells her relieved and hugs her tightly.

"I need to think. Come on, brain. Think" He sits down at the end of the table and runs his fingers through his hair.

"If they're fish people, it explains why they hate the sun."

"Ah. Her planet is overrun so she flees through space. Then she closes off the city and, starts changing the people into creatures like her to start a new gene pool. But they come from the sea. They can't survive on land, so what's she going to do? Unless she's going to do something to the environment to make the city habitable." he groans and stands up. "She's going to sink Venice. And repopulate it with the girls she's transformed." He says.

"You can't repopulate somewhere with just women. You need men unless..." Jack stops as Rose kicks him in the shins and motions down to Kiam who is playing nearby.

"She's got men." Rose says looking at Jack.

"Where?"

"In the canal. She said to me there are ten thousand husbands waiting in the water."

"Only the male offspring survived the journey here. She's got ten thousand children swimming around the canals, waiting for Mum to make them some compatible girlfriends." He scrunches his face in disgust.

There is a loud thump above them. "The people upstairs are very noisy."

"There aren't any people upstairs." Guido says.

"I knew you were going to say that." A window breaks and the girls gather at the doors and windows.

"Aren't we on the second floor?"

He waves the UV light at them, then uses his sonic screwdriver to reveal their true appearance.

"What's happened to them?" Guido asks.

"There's nothing left of them. They've been fully converted. Fish from space."

Jack grabs Kiam and heads down the staircase with Rose.

"Keep moving. Go." he shouts at them.

"Stay away from the door, Doctor." Guido tells him.

"No. Guido, What are you doing?" He watches Guido head back inside. "I'm not leaving you. What are you doing?" He runs to the door and tries to Sonic it open. "Bolted."

He moves back. "Guido," he calls out. He sees Jack and Rose standing nearby. "Run, I'll catch up."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Rose run, I'll be fine." He looks at Jack, who takes Roses hand and they take off.

He hears Guido inside saying "Come on" and he realizes the voice is heading to the corner with the gunpowder. He turns and runs away from the building as an explosion knocks him off of his feet.

He meets up with Jack and Rose at the canal and Rose runs into his arms. They watch as a thunderstorm starts to develop above the tower, and spreads out over Venice. People are screaming and running around frightened. Kiam starts fighting Jack to get away and holding his arms out for the Doctor. Rose takes Kiam from Jack and tries to comfort the little boy but he continues to reach out.

"Rosanna's initiating the final phase." He says.

"We need to stop her. Come on." Rose says.

"No. Get back to the Tardis. Keep you and Kiam safe."

"You can't stop her on your own." Rose says standing her ground.

"Rose, please," He says gently.

She turns with Kiam and Jack and heads off back in the direction of the Tardis.

He makes his way back into the building once more and heads straight for the throne. He rips off the back of it and starts examining the wires inside.

"You're too late. Such determination, just to save one city. Hard to believe it's the same man that let an entire race turn to cinders and ash. Now you can watch as my people take their new kingdom." She taunts him.

"The girls have gone" He says and pulls out his sonic and sets to work.

"You're lying."

"Shouldn't I be dead, hmm? Rosanna, please, help me. There are two hundred thousand people in this city."

"So save them." She says coldly and leaves. He continues to work on the chair and is not surprised when Rose runs in with Kiam and Jack in tow.

"Get out. I need to stabilize the storm." He tells them.

"We're not leaving you." Rose says and he smiles at her. The house shakes, knocking them off their feet.

"What was that?" Jack asks.

"Nothing. Bit of an earthquake."

"An earthquake?" Rose says surprised at his calmness.

"Manipulate the elements, it can trigger earthquakes. But don't worry about them. Worry about the tidal waves caused by the earthquake." He kicks the throne. "Right, Rosanna's throne is the control hub but she's locked the program. Rose, tear out every single wire and circuit in the throne. Go crazy. We need it to shut down and re-route control to the secondary hub, which should also be the generator."

He hooks up a power cable and then runs out of the room and up the stars into the bell tower dragging the cable behind him. He climbs outside on to metal lighting conductor with the help of the cable and then looks down. "Okay," he says simply, seeing how high up he is.  
He opens the brass ball at the bottom of the lightening rod to reveal clockwork. Thinking "It can't be this easy," he finds a tiny switch and stops the mechanism. Instantly the rain ceases, the clouds vanish.

He climbs back down and runs back down the stairs and outside to see her standing at the edge of the canal undressing.

"One city to save an entire species. Was that so much to ask?" She asks him.

"I told you, you can't go back and change time. You mourn, but you live. I know, I did it." He tells her edging closer.

"Tell me, Doctor. Can your conscience carry the weight of another dead race? Remember us. Dream of us." She steps into the water and he runs to the edge to try to save her but it is too late. He lays on the edge watching for a few minutes before turning and heading back to the Tardis.

-DW-

That night after everyone had gone to bed, he laid on the bed next to Rose and Kiam watching them sleep. He felt the weight of the universe on his shoulders and he wondered how she could love him, when he was responsible for so many deaths of so many races and so many people.


	45. Arguments

They were fighting again. It had all started after he had dropped Jack back off in Cardiff. He had sent the Tardis back to the time vortex and was trying to decide where to go, when Rose had come into the room.

"So when are we going to have more children?" She had asked casually.

"We're not," He had replied.

"That's it, case closed, no discussion. Just no."

"Yep."

"Why not," She had asked.

"So Rose, where do you want to go?" He had asked avoiding her question.

"Why not, Doctor."

"Anywhere, all of space and time, it's your choice."

"Answer me." She had demanded.

He sighed and had ran his hands through his hair. He motioned to the pilot chair and she sat down and stared at him, waiting still.

"You know I love you and Kiam," He began and she nodded. "You also know I wouldn't trade Kiam for anything, but I wouldn't have brought him into the universe if I had been thinking clearly."

He had seen the hurt and the tears in her eyes. He put his hand on her shoulder and she had pulled away and turned her head away. He had gently place his hand on her chin and turned her back to face him. "Rose, we can't protect another child. Our life is too dangerous, I thought I had killed Kiam three times before he was two."

"You'll have me." She had said stubbornly. "I can help protect them."

"No," He said firmly and had turned back to the console.

She had dropped it for a couple of days but she wouldn't let it go. He tried to be nice to her and had taken her to Arcadia, Women's wept and New, New York, but they always came back to the argument.

He landed the Tardis at the park outside of the Powell Estate. "Rose" He called and she came to the door to enter the control room and leaned against the door frame. "Rose, outside that door is the Powell estate." Her face grew sad and tears formed in her eyes.

"Why have you b-brought me her." she stuttered.

"She's in there Rose, you can go and talk to her." He knew he was breaking his own rules bringing her here and he still remembered what had happened when he had brought her to see her father. He hoped he wasn't bring the end of the world again by bringing her. Rose starts to head to the door with Kiam. "Wait," he goes and takes Kiam from her.

"Rose this is before Kiam was born, but after you told her you were pregnant. Do you remember?"

She nodded. "She begged me to come home and talk to her, but we never did." Her eyes lit up as she realized what he was giving her and she rushed into his arms and squeezed him tightly. "Thank you."

"Now remember Rose. You can't tell her anything about Pete's world or the ghost."

"I know," and she left the Tardis quickly. He watched her on the screen as she ran across the park and out of sight.

When she returned later that afternoon, she looked happier then when she left.

"Mum says you're a coward, for not facing her." She teased him. "But she agrees with you, Time traveling is no way to raise a child and she wants me to settle down and live with her. She also wants to know when you are going to make an honest woman out of me."

"I-I-I," He sputtered and she walked over and kissed him on the cheek.

"Think about it." So he did.

He thought about it as he rescued her from the Silurians who resided deep under the Earth. He had arrived just in time to save her from being dissected alive. He had hoped that the Silurians and the humans could live in harmony on Earth together but after the negotiations fell through, he had made everybody there promise to spread the story.

"A thousand years to sort the planet out." He had told them. "To be ready. Pass it on. As legend, or prophesy, or religion, but somehow make it known. This planet is to be shared."

He thought about it as they raced to the doors of the Tardis trying to escape another queen who wanted him dead and then laughing with Rose as he told her about Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth the first had declared him, her sworn enemy.

He thought about it as he lay with her that night and felt her body move with his and then as he held her with her head rested on his chest, his fingers gently stroking her hair. He kissed the top of her head and she sighed.

He began to plan how he would propose.


	46. The Pandorica Opens

He was going around the Tardis happily flipping switches and pressing buttons.

I can't believe I've never thought of this before. It's genius. Right. Landed. Come on." He grabbed Rose's hand and started dragging her to the door.

"Where are we?"

"Planet One. The oldest planet in the universe. And there's a cliff of pure diamond, and according to legend, on the cliff there's writing. Letters fifty feet high. A message from the dawn of time And no one knows what it says, because no one's ever translated it. Until today." He said happily

"What happens today?" Rose asked curious.

"Us. The Tardis can translate anything. All we have to do is open the doors and read the very first words in recorded history." He throws the doors open and stands there disappointed. Across the cliff reads the words. Hello Sweetie ΘΣ ΦΓΥΔζ.

He inputs the co-ordinates and lands the Tardis in front of a forest on a hill.

"Right place?" Rose asked stepping out of the Tardis with Kiam in tow.

"Just followed the co-ordinates on the cliff face. Earth. Britain. one oh two AD." They walk forward and look down at a Roman Camp.

"That's a Roman Legion."

"Well, yeah. The Romans invaded Britain several times during this period."

"Oh, I know. My favorite topic at school. Invasion of the hot Italians." He looks at her and she smiles at him and sticks out her tongue.

A soldier runs up and salutes them. "Hail, Caesar!"

"Hail."

"Welcome to Britain. We are honored by your presence." He bows deeply.

"Why does he think you're Caesar?" Rose asked.

"Arise," He says and when he does, he notices lipstick smeared on the soldier's face.

"Cleopatra will see you now." The solider says and they follow the man down the hill and into the Roman camp. He leads them to a tent and they follow him in.

He sees River laying on a low couch at the back of the tent. "Hello, sweetie." She says with a smile.

"River." Rose says.

"Hi," Kiam says.

"You graffitied the oldest cliff face in the universe." He scolds her.

"You wouldn't answer your phone." She tells him. She dismisses the people in the room and then pulls out a rolled up painting and hands it to him.

"What's this?" He asks and unrolls it.

"It's a painting by Vincent Van Gogh. One of his final works. He had visions, didn't he? I thought you ought to know about this one."

He unrolled the painting and opened it. "What is it," Rose ask.

The painting is similar to Starry Night, but in the middle is an exploding Tardis.

"Doctor? Doctor, what is this?" Rose asks concerned. "Why is it exploding?"

"I assume it's some kind of warning." River responds.

"What, something's going to happen to the Tardis?" Rose Asks.

"It might not be that literal. Anyway, this is where he wanted you. Date and map reference on the door sign, see?"

"Does it have a title?" He asks finally taking his eyes off the map.

"The Pandorica Opens."

"The Pandorica? What is it?" Rose asks River.

"A box, a cage, a prison. It was built to contain the most feared thing in all the universe." She tells Rose.

"And it's a fairy tale, a legend. It can't be real." He leaves the tent and heads to where their are horses tied up.

"If it is real, it's here and it's opening, and it's got something to do with your Tardis exploding. Hidden, obviously. Buried for centuries. You won't find it on a map." River says.

"No, but if you buried the most dangerous thing in the universe, you'd want to remember where you put it."

They get three horses and he helps Rose on to one and then River on to the second. He puts Kiam up on the third and then sits Behind him. They race to the second set of co-ordinates in silence.

-DW-

The Co-ordinates come out at Stonehenge. They get off the horses and head into the the circle. He leaves Kiam with Rose and him and River start scanning the stones.

"How come it's not new?" Rose asks

"Because it's already old. It's been here thousands of years. No one knows exactly how long." River answers her.

"Okay, this Pandorica thing. Last time we saw you, you warned us about it, after we climbed out of the Byzantium."

"Spoilers." River responds.

"No, but you told the Doctor you'd see him again when the Pandorica opens." Rose tells her.

"Maybe I did, but I haven't yet. But I will have." She smiles at the confused look on Rose's face. "Doctor, I'm picking up fry particles everywhere. Energy weapons discharged on this site."

"If the Pandorica is here, it contains the mightiest warrior in history. Now, half the galaxy would want a piece of that. Maybe even fight over it. We need to get down there." He says.

Night falls and River places a device on each corner of the Altar stone. "Right then. Ready." She presses a button on her vortex manipulator and the stone moves aside to reveal a staircase into the ground.

He heads down the stairs with the rest following behind him. When he reaches the bottom he sees torches in the walls. He takes one of them down and he lights it with his sonic screwdriver. He lights another for River and they unbar a big door, then enter.

In the middle of the room sits a big stone square with a circular design on each face. "It's a Pandorica." he says in awe.

"More than just a fairy tale." River smirks. He glares at her and continues to move closer to the box.

"There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior. A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world." He says.

"How did it end up in there?" Rose asks him.

"You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it."

"I hate good wizards in fairy tales. They always turn out to be him." River says.

"So, it's kind of like Pandora's Box, then? Almost the same name." Rose says examining it.

"Sorry, what?" Rose asks him.

"The story. Pandora's Box, with all the worst things in the world in it. That was my favorite book when I was a kid." She sees his eyes narrow at her. "What's wrong?"

"Your favorite school topic. Your favorite story. Never ignore a coincidence, unless you're busy." He turns away from her as he finishes his sentence. "In which case, always ignore a coincidence."

"So can you open it?" River ask him.

"Easily. Anyone can break into a prison. But I'd rather know what I'm going to find first." He tells River as he continues to examine it.

"You won't have long to wait. It's already opening. There are layers and layers of security protocols in there, and they're being disabled one by one. Like it's being unlocked from the inside." She shows him the scans.

"How long do we have?" He asks her.

"Hours at the most." She answers.

"What kind of security?"

"Everything. Deadlocks, time stops, matter lines."

"What could need all that?" He wonders aloud.

"What could get past all that?" River asks him.

"Think of the fear that went into making this box. What could inspire that level of fear?"

"So why would it start to open now?" River asks him

"No idea." He runs his hand through his hair and puts his glasses on as he leans closer to the box.

"Ahem, And how could Vincent have known about it? He won't even be born for centuries." Rose speaks up.

"The stones. These stones are great big transmitters, broadcasting a warning to everyone, everywhere, to every time zone. The Pandorica is opening." He Tells her.

"Doctor, everyone everywhere?" River asks him.

"No, just on Earth, all though," He goes silent and puts his ear on the box as he taps it. He listens for a moment and then continues his sentence. "It is through all time. Even poor Vincent heard it, in his dreams. But what's in there? What could justify all this?"

"Doctor, everyone?" River asks him.

"Anything that powerful, I'd know about it. Why don't I know?" He didn't like not knowing things.

"Doctor, you said...," River begins, but he cuts her off. "Hush now, I need to think."

"So what's this got to do with the Tardis?' Rose asks him, ignoring his request.

"Nothing, as far as I know." He tells her.

"But Vincent's painting. The Tardis was exploding. Is that going to happen?"

"One problem at a time." He says not taking his eyes off the box.

As though the universe is putting that to the test an energy weapon fires at them. He grabs Kiam and the four of them rush around the side of the box.

"What was that?" Rose asks.

"Okay, I need a proper look. Got to draw its fire, give it a target." He says.

"How?" River asks him.

"You know how sometimes I have really brilliant ideas?" He asks Rose.

"Yes." She answers.

He kisses her head. "Sorry." he says as he runs out and waves his arms. "Come on ye old Beasty." He yells. He gets shot and he ducks behind another statue.

"What is" Rose calls out.

"Cyberarm. Arm of Cyberman." He replies.

"What's a Cyberman doing here."

"No idea."

"River, I need to get round behind it. Could you draw its fire?"

"What, like you did?" she teases him.

"You'll be fine if you're quick." River comes out from behind the Pandorica and shoots the arm. He looks at her and then grabs it and sonics it.

"Doctor?"

"Scrambled its circuits, but stay where you are, it could be bluffing." He says.

"Bluffing? It's an arm." She says amused and starts to move out of her hiding place.

I said stay where you are!" He says seeing the movement.

"Doctor?" Rose says as she is pulled to the floor.

"Rose," he screams as the arm shocks him and the world goes black.

-DW-

He wakes up on his back still with Kiam sitting on his chest smiling at him. He groggily moves Kiam off of him and sits up. Rose is laying on the ground nearby with River looking after her.

"Rose," He crawls over to her and sits down pulling out his sonic. He scans her and finds she is just unconscious. Relieved he gently lifts her head and lays it on his lap, stroking her hair.

"She'll be fine." He tells River. The ground shakes and Kiam runs to him and he pulls him to him tightly. He looks at the Pandorica and the designs are glowing green and moving like a cog wheel.

"What is it? What's happening?" River asks him.

"The final phase. It's opening." He tells her.

Rose opens her eyes. "Oh, my head." She says.

"Just your basic knock-out drops. Get some fresh air, you'll be fine." He says. "Take Kiam, it's not good for him to be cooped up down her."

"You'll be okay." She asks concerned as he helps her up.

"I'll be fine." He says. He watches her grab Kiam's hand and head up the stairs. When Rose is out of sight he turns to River. "What do you think?"

"It's a trap. It has to be." River says and he heads over to the wall and sits against it. He looks up at her. "They used Rose to construct a scenario you'd believe, to get close to you." She tells him.

"Why? Who'd do that? What for?" He asks but she doesn't answer him as the Pandorica starts to open and he hears a familiar noise.

Da da da dum  
Da da da Dum


	47. Old Friends and New beginnings

"No, No it couldn't be," he thought but he could hear the drumming clearly.

He ran to the stairs and up them. "Rose take Kiam and run."

"What" she asked confused.

"Just run, I'll catch up." He watched as she grabbed Kiam's hand and took off into the woods pulling him as fast as she could. He turned and went back down in front of the box right as the last panel opened.

"Master," he said.

"Doctor," The Master grinned at him and stood up from the box and walked towards him. "Long time no see, last time I believe you were trying to imprison me on you're Tardis."

"You tried to bring the end of the world," he said calmly not moving his eyes from the Master, who was now beginning to walk the room heading away from him. He shifted his eyes slightly and saw River standing off to the side watching. He looked back at the Master as he began to speak again.

"Where is the Tardis?"

"Like I would tell you."

"That's okay there are other means of time travel." He made a swift movement and grabbed River roughly.

"Let her go." He yelled.

"Oh, I think not." He grabbed her arm and pulled back the sleeve to reveal the Vortex Manipulator. "Don't try to follow us." He said and pressed down on the button and the two of them disappeared.

"River," He cried out. He pulled out his sonic and marched over to the Pandorica and scanned it. It could still be used but told him nothing about how the Master had opened it. He turned and ran up the stairs and out into the night. He took off in the direction that Rose had gone and caught up to them in a short time.

"We have to get back to the Tardis, now." He told her.

"River," She inquired.

"She's gone." He said and he picked up Kiam and took Roses hand and ran back to the horses. He climbed up on one of them took Kiam from her and set him in front and then pulled her up behind him. "Hold on tight," he said and felt her hands wrap firmly around his waist.

"Yah," he snapped the reins and they rushed back to the Tardis.

-DW-

It had been a week. He had frantically searched down every rumor he had heard of River and the Master but he wasn't able to find them. He was sitting in the pilot seat with his head on his forehead rubbing it when Rose walked in.

"Another Dead end." She asked and he just nodded. "You'll find her," she said encouragingly.

"How do you know?" He said not looking up at her.

"She was alive at the Byzantium."

"Time can be rewritten." But he knew she was right. She always knew what to say to make him feel better. He put his hand down and smiled at her as Kiam came into the room rubbing his eye with one hand and dragging his blanket with the other.

"Mama," he said.

"Hey Baby, You're suppose to be sleeping," She said cheerfully heading over to him and scooped him up. Kiam put his head on her shoulder and snuggled close as she sat down on the pilot seat. The Doctor put his arm around her and kissed her head.

The Master would get in touch with him all he had to do was wait, but there was something else he wanted to do that the recent events had put on hold.

He stood up and helped Rose stand up. "Go put Kiam back to bed and then come back." He said and she looked at him confused but she smiled and headed off.

She came back a short time later and he lands the Tardis at exactly 12:00 and heads to the doors and opens them. Leading her out and leaving one open behind them.

"Where are we." She asked as she stared at the sky full of stars.

"Calderon Beta at 12:00 and if we look up at exactly 12:01 we will see more stars then anywhere else in the entire universe." He stands behind her and wraps his arms around her waist pulling her against him. As the sky lights up so brightly, it seems almost like day, she watches the sky and he watches the joy on her face.

He leans in close to her ear and says. "Rose, I may not be able to spend the rest of my life with you but I want you to spend the rest of your life with me." He lets go of her and she turns around to look at him. He drops to one knee and pulls a small box out of his pocket and opens it to reveal a small diamond sitting on a gold band.

"Will you marry me." He asks and watches as her eyes fill with tears.

"Yes," She manages to say as he slips the ring on her finger. He stands up and kisses her before taking her in his arms again to watch the stars.


	48. Finding the Master

It had been three months that he had been on his own. Three months since he had ruined more lives and more people had died to protect him. He was trying to escape from the hurt and the helplessness that he felt. So, he was running. He was running harder and faster then he ever had before. He couldn't stop and he couldn't get away because he was running from the one thing he hated the most.

Himself.

Three months earlier.

He was alone on the Tardis. He had proposed to Rose several weeks back but all thoughts of the wedding had been placed on the back burner as he continued to chase down leads on River and the Master. He still felt guilty for her being with the Master and it was consuming him. He spent all of his time rushing from one planet to another or running searches in the control room.

Rose had approached him two weeks ago with tears in her eyes and asked if he still loved her and their son. He hadn't taken that question well and due to the stress he had argued with her until she took off the ring and threw it at him. Rose and Kiam were now staying with Captain Jack and Ianto back on Earth. He called and talked to Kiam often but Rose rarely got on the phone.

Jack had promised he would look after them until he got his head on straight and had also promised to knock some sense into him if he didn't do it soon.

He was following a summons that he had received while racing through Umbeka on one of its long winters, and had landed the Tardis in a place he had been once before as he stepped off of it, he saw a group of Ood standing there waiting for him at the lead of the group was Ood Sigma.

"There you are. So, where were we? I was summoned, wasn't I? An Ood in the snow, calling to me. Well, I didn't exactly come straight here. Followed another lead first and saved a planet from the Red Carnivorous Maw and then named a galaxy Alison. Anyway, what do you want?" He asked them.

"You should not have delayed." Ood Sigma told him.

"The last time I was here you said you think my song is ending soon. I was in no hurry to come here."

"You will come with me." He follows Ood Sigma up and over a hill and sees a city down below.

"Magnificent. Oh, come on, that is splendid. You've achieved all this in how long?" He says not being able to contain his happiness.

"One hundred years." Ood Sigma replies.

"Then we've got a problem. Because all of this is way too fast. Not just the city, I mean your ability to call me. Something's accelerating your species way beyond normal."

"And the Mind of the Ood is troubled."

"Why, what's happened?" He asked

"Every night, Doctor, every night we have bad dreams."

He followed the Ood in to an ice cave and sat down at the edge of the circle.

"Returning, returning, returning, it is slowly returning through the dark and the fire and the blood. Always returning, returning to this world. It is returning, and he is returning, and they are returning, but too late. Too late. Far too late. He has come." The Ood Elder announced.

"Sit with the Elder of the Ood and share the dreaming." Ood Sigma told him and offered him his hand. He takes Ood Sigma's hand in one and the Elders in the other. He closes his eyes and as he joins the link he sees the Master's face laughing at him.

"He comes to us every night. I think all the peoples of the universe dream of him now."

"Where is he," He asks.

"There is more. Join us. Events are taking shape. So many years ago, and yet changing the now. There is a man so scared." In his head he sees a familiar older man.

He opens his eyes and looks at the Elder. "Wilfred, is he all right? What about Donna, is she safe."

"You should not have delayed, for the lines of convergence are being drawn across the Earth. Even now, the king is in his Counting house."

He is shown images of a black man and his daughter being photographed.

"I don't know who they are."

"And there is another. The most lonely of all, lost and forgotten."

He sees a woman sitting on a bench in a cage.

"River," he breaths a sigh of relief that she is alive but wonders how he is going to save her.

"We see so much, but understand little. The woman in the cage, who is she?"

"I don't know but it is my fault she was captured by him." He says opening his eyes. "I couldn't stop him, but now I can save her. I have to go!" He says standing up.

"But something more is happening, Doctor. The Master is part of a greater design, because a shadow is falling over creation. Something vast is stirring in the dark. The Ood have gained this power to see through time, because time is bleeding. Shapes of things once lost are moving through the veil, and these events from years ago threaten to destroy this future, and the present, and the past." The Elder tells him.

"What do you mean?" He asks.

"This is what we have seen, Doctor. The darkness heralds only one thing. The end of time itself." The Elder looks up at him. He turns and runs back to the Tardis and sets the Destination to Earth. He had to get back there and stop the Master before it was too late.

* * *

_I have an idea for the end of these chapters that could go either way so I want an opinion. _

_Should he regenerate to 11 or continue on as 10. please Review and let me know. _


	49. The End of Time part 1

He lands the Tardis roughly and runs out of it to see the ruined shell of a Prison. He can sense that the Master has been here recently and starts trying to follow his scent. He follows a trail to an abandoned construction site and stands on the small cliff looking down into it. He hears the sound of four beats echoing over and over again and sets off quickly towards the sound. In the middle of the site he sees the Master. He runs towards him and the Master takes off and climbs onto a pile of cement. As he gets close he sees the Master pulling back his sleeve and in a flash he is gone.

"Where is she," He screams in frustration and picks up a nearby rock and hurls it at the empty air. He starts to head back to the Tardis and runs into the one man he was hoping not to see standing with a group of other elderly people.

"Oh, my gosh, Doctor. You're a sight for sore eyes." Wilfred tells him.

"Out of my way!" He starts to push past them.

"Did we do it? Is that him?" One of them ask.

"Tall and thin, big brown coat." Says another.

"The Silver Cloak. It worked. Because Wilf phoned Netty, who phoned June, and her sister lives opposite Broadfell, and she saw the police box, and her neighbour saw this man heading east." One of the women rambles off and he turns to look at Wilfred.

"Wilfred?" He says calmly.

"Yeah?"

"Have you told them who I am? You promised me." He starts calm but as he finishes the sentence he can hear the anger in his voice.

"No, I just said you were a doctor, that's all. And might I say, sir, it is an honor to see you again." Wilfred salutes him and he nods at the man. "Can we talk?"

"Go on," He says as patiently as he can.

"Not here in private."

"Lead the way." He says and Wilfred leads him to a minibus and they all climb aboard.

The minibus stops in front of a Cafe and him and Wilfred get off.

"Come on, then. Here we are, hurry up. Bye. You behave, bye." Wilfred starts to head to the doors. "Over here, come on."

"What's so special about this place? We passed fifteen cafes on the way." He asks but Wilfred doesn't answer him.

They go in to the Cafe and are seated as soon as the waitress walks away Wilfred starts talking again. "Oh, we had some good times, didn't we though? I mean, all those ATMOS things, and planets in the sky, and me with that paint gun. I keep seeing things, Doctor. This face at night."

"Who are you?" He asks him.

"I'm Wilfred Mott."

"No. People have waited hundreds of years to find me and then you manage it in a few hours."

"Well, I'm just lucky I suppose." Wilfred says but he doesn't believe it.

"No, we keep on meeting, Wilf. Over and over again like something's still connecting us."

"What's so important about me?" Wilfred asks him.

"Exactly. Why you?" He takes a deep breath and then continues. "I'm going to die."

"Well, so am I, one day." Wilfred says and all he can think about is how much Donna loved her Grandfather. He didn't want her to be without him.

"Don't you dare." He says finally.

"All right, I'll try not to."

"But I was told. You're song must soon end."

"Yeah, but I thought, when I saw you before, you said your people could change, like, your whole body." Wilfred persist.

"I can still die. If I'm killed before regeneration, then I'm dead. Even then, even if I change, it feels like dying. Everything I am dies. Some new man goes sauntering away, and I'm dead."

He goes quiet again as he thinks of Rose walking around with some new man, Kiam in between them, no longer his clone. Would Rose be able to love him still if he regenerated. She had stayed with him when he had changed before but that was different. They hadn't had Kiam yet and they weren't engaged. He puts his hand in his pocket and gently plays with her ring. He planned on returning it to her as soon as he found River. But if his song was ending would he ever be able too?

He notices that Wilf is staring out the window. "What?" he asks him and follows the mans eyes. He sees Donna outside in the street getting in to a car.

"I'm sorry, but I had to. Look, can't you make her better?" Wilf asks him desperately.

"Stop it."

"No, but you're so clever. Can't you bring her memory back? Look, just go to her now. Go on, just run across the street. Go up and say hello."

"If she ever remembers me, her mind will burn, and she will die. Do you want that?" They go silent and through the window they see a traffic warden walking by Donna's car.

"Don't you touch this car." He hears her say loudly through the window and he laughs.

"She's not changed." He says with a smile.

"Nah. Oh, there he is." Wilfred points and he watches a man go up to Donna and kiss her on the cheek before they climb into the car. "Shaun Temple. They're engaged. Getting married in the spring."

"Another wedding. Hold on, she's not going to be called Noble-Temple? That sounds like a tourist spot."

"No, it's Temple-Noble."

"Right. Is she happy?" Asking the question that he hadn't stopped thinking since he had dropped her off at her house almost two years ago. "Is he nice?"

"Yeah, he's sweet enough. He's a bit of a dreamer. Mind you, he's on minimum wage, she's earning tuppence, so all they can afford is a tiny little flat. And then sometimes I see this look on her face, like she's so sad, but she can't remember why."

"She's got him."

"She's making do."

"Aren't we all?" He replies sadly.

"Yeah, how about you? Who have you got now?"

"No one at the moment. I'm travelling alone. I messed up with Rose and she took our son to stay with some friends. I was just trying to save someone but it went wrong. I need..." He doesn't finish his sentence as tears start streaming down his face.

"Oh, my word. I'm sorry."

"Merry Christmas." He says darkly.

"Yeah, and you."

"Look at us."

"But don't you see? You know, you need her, Doctor. I mean, look. Wouldn't she make you laugh again? Good old Donna?" He looks out the window and watches Donna and Shaun drive away. He did miss Donna and wish he could go out there and talk to her, but he knew better then to try. He says Goodbye to Wilfred and leaves the Cafe in search of the Master again.

Night falls and he walks towards the Master, who fires bolts of energy at him from his hands. He misses, and sets fires burning behind him. The third try hits him squarely in the chest, stopping him moving forward. When the energy stops and he falls painfully to his knees. The Master catches him, then lets him fall to the ground.

"I had estates. Do you remember my father's land back home? Pastures of red grass, stretching far across the slopes of Mount Perdition. We used to run across those fields all day, calling up at the sky. Look at us now." The Master says to him.

"All that eloquence. But how many people have you killed?" He looks up at him. "Where is River." He asks.

"She's safe," The Master says turning away.

"Let her go."

"No, Because now I have something you want." He eyes him and then smiles. "You don't know who she is do you?" The Master taunts him.

"You do," He says surprised.

"Oh yes, she's a killer, like you."

"Stop it." He says seeing that this way won't work he tries another approach. "What if I ask you for help? There's more at work tonight than you and me."

"Oh yeah?"

"I've been told something is returning." He says.

"And here I am."

"No, something more."

"But it hurts." The master says ignoring him.

"I was told the end of time." He says trying again.

"It hurts. Doctor, the noise. The noise in my head, Doctor. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. Stronger than ever before. Can't you hear it?"

"I'm sorry." It doesn't seem like enough but he doesn't know what else to say.

"Listen, listen, listen, listen. Every minute, every second, every beat of my hearts, there it is, calling to me. Please listen." He goes quiet.

"I can't hear it." He tells the Master again.

"Listen." The Master puts both of his hands on his temples and he opens his mind and hears the drumbeats that he has come to associate with the Master. He pulls away from the Master quickly and gets to his feet.

"What?" The Master asks him.

"But" He starts confused.

"What!" The Master urges him to continue.

"I heard it. But there's no noise. There never has been. It's just your insanity. What is it? What's inside your head?" He wonders aloud.

"It's real. It's real. It's real!" The Master says sounding almost childlike. The Master takes off and he runs after him.

"All these years, you thought I was mad. King of the wasteland. But something is calling me, Doctor. What is it? What is it? What is it?"

A bright light shines down on the Master, then a second one illuminates him A pair of Soldier types come down on ropes, grab the Master and inject him with something knocking him out.

"Don't!" He cries out but they fire their guns at him and he has no choice but to stay back. The Master is taken into the helicopter and it starts to fly away. He runs after it screaming for them to come back, but he watches it disappear. He returns to the Tardis and then parks it across the street from the Nobles home.

The front door opens and Wilfred comes over to him. "I lost him. I was unconscious. He's still on Earth, I can smell him, but he's too far away."

"Listen, you can't park there. What if Donna sees it?"

He ignores him "You're the only one, Wilf. The only connection I can think of. You're involved, if I could work out how. Tell me, have you seen anything? I don't know. Anything strange, anything odd?"

"Well, there was a" Wilfred begins

"What? What is it? Tell me." He asks him.

"Well, it was. No, it's nothing."

"Think. Maybe something out of the blue. Something connected to your life. Something."

"Well, Donna was a bit strange. She had a funny little moment, this morning, all because of that book."

"What book?"

"His name's Joshua Naismith." Wilfred heads into the house and comes out a few minutes later and hands a book to him. He looks down at the cover and instantly recognizes the man.

"That's the man. I was shown him by the Ood."

"What's the Ood?"

"They're just the Ood. But it's all part of the convergence. Maybe? It may be touching Donna's subconscious. Oh, she's still fighting for us, even now. The Doctor Donna." He smiles happily.

"Dad, what are you up to? You." He turns and sees Donna's mom coming out of the house towards them. "Get out of here."

"Merry Christmas." He says politely.

"Merry Christmas. But she can't see you. What if she remembers?"

From inside the house they hear Donna call out. "Mum, where are those tweezers?"

"Go."

"I'm going." He turns back to the Tardis and starts to unlock the door.

"Yeah, me too." Wilfred says.

"Oh no, you don't." She says. "Dad, I'm warning you."

"Bye, see you later." Wilfred responds.

"Bit old for hide and seek." Donna calls out coming closer.

"You can't come with me." He tells Wilfred.

"You're not leaving me with her." he responds.

"Dad!"

"Fair enough." He opens the door and they climb inside. He hears Donna's mom yelling at them as he pulls the lever and the Tardis  
dematerializes.

"Naismith. If I can track him down." He turns to Wilfred. "Ah. Right. Yes. Bigger on the inside. Do you like it?"

"I thought it'd be cleaner."

"Cleaner?" That was a new one. "I could take you back home right now."

"Listen, Doctor, if this is a time machine, that man you're chasing, why can't you just pop back to yesterday and catch him?"

"I cant go back inside my own timeline. I have to stay relative to the Master within the causal nexus. Understand?"

"Not a word." Wilfred says and he smiles at the man.

"Welcome aboard."

"Thank you."

* * *

_Still need votes do you want to see 11 or should we stick with 10. _  
_So far I have one vote for 11._


	50. The End of Time part 2

He lands the Tardis in stables on the grounds of a mansion. He opens the door and steps out followed by Wilfred.

"We've moved. We've really moved!" Wilfred says amazed.

"You should stay here." He tells him.

"Not bloody likely."

"And don't swear. Hold on." He pulls out the Tardis, key and points it at the Tardis which disappears in front of their eyes. " Just a second out of sync. Don't want the Master finding the Tardis. That's the last thing we need." He says. They walk to the doors of the stables and stand off to the side watching a patrol march across the grounds.

"That book said he's a billionaire. He's got his own private army."

"Down here." He says noticing a small door located in an archway. He opens the door and leads Wilfred down the stairs. and into a small through another archway into a small room as he enters he hears a female saying.

"And the multiple overshots have triplicated."

"Nice Gate." He says pleasantly.

"Hello. Sorry." Wilfred says.

"Don't try calling security, or I'll tell them you're wearing a Shimmer. Because I reckon anyone wearing a Shimmer doesn't want the Shimmer to be noticed, or they wouldn't need a Shimmer in the first place." He says looking around.

"I'm sorry? What's a Shimmer?" She asks him.

He pulls his sonic out and points it at her. "Shimmer." He says with a smile as she turns green with little spikes on her.

"Oh, my Lord. She's a cactus." Wilfred says.

"Miss Addams?" A male voice calls out from another room.

He heads to the computer, puts on his glasses and gets to work trying to figure out what they are up to. "He's got it working, but what is it? What's working?" He asks as another man enters the room.

"What are you doing here?" The man asks and he pulls out the sonic again and without looking at the man points it at him. "Shimmer." He goes back to his work. "Now, tell me quickly, what's going on? The Master, Harold Saxon, Koschei, whatever you're calling him, what's he doing up there?"

"I don't know, but I checked the readings. He's done good work." The man says, "It's operational."

"Who are you, though?" He hadn't met a race that looked like them before.

"I'm Rossiter and we're Vinvocci." Rossitier says.

"And the Gate is Vinvocci." Addams continues, "We're a salvage team. We picked up the signal when the humans reactivated it. And as soon as it's working, we can transport it to the ship."

"But what does it do?"

"Well, it mends. It's a simple as that. It's a medical device to repair the body. It makes people better."

"No, there's got to be more." He runs his hands roughly through his hair. "Every single warning says the Master's going to do something colossal."

"So that thing's like a sickbed, yes?" Wilfred chimes in.

"More or less." Addams says.

"Well, pardon me for asking, but why is it so big?" Wilfred inquires.

"Oh, good question." He hadn't thought of that one. "Why's it so big?"

"It doesn't just mend one person at a time. That would be ridiculous.  
It mends whole planets." Addams says.

He feels his blood going cold and his hearts leap up into his throat. "It does what?" He asks.

"It transmits the medical template across the entire pop..." But he doesn't hear the rest of it as he takes off through the corridors and up the stairs. He burst through the doors and sees soldiers standing there with The Master in a straight jacket in the middle of the room. The Master smiles at him as he enters the room.

"Turn the Gate off right now!" He screams as he enters.

"At arms!" A voice says and the soldiers point there guns at him.

"No, Whatever you do, just don't let him near that device." He begs them.

"Oh, like that was ever going to happen." The Master easily throws off the straight jacket and gets in to the Gate, before they have time to react.

"Homeless, was I? Destitute and dying? Well, look at me now."

"Deactivate it. All of you, turn the whole thing off!" He pleads.

"He's inside my head." Naismith says.

"Get out of there!" He calls to the Master as the gate activates, He starts to head towards the Master and he sends a blast of energy and knocks him off his feet.

"Doctor! Doctor, there's, there's this face." Wilfred cries coming up behind him.

"What is it? What can you see?" He asks as he stands up not taking his eyes off the Master.

"Well, it's him. I can see him."

He goes to the computer and starts trying to shut down the Gate. "I can't turn it off." He says angrily.

"That's because I locked it, idiot." The Master taunts him.

He sees a set of glass cubicles on one side of the room with technicians in them who are containing the radiation of the Gate. "Wilfred! Get inside. Get him out."

He enters one of a pair of glass sided cubicles, and Wilfred swaps places with a technician in the other.

"Just need to filter the levels." He tells Wilfred.

"Oh, I can see again! He's gone."

"Radiation shielding. Now press the button. Let me out." He tells Wilfred.

"You what?"

"I can't get out until you press the button. That button there." He says pointing the best he can. Wilfred hits one of the buttons and his door is opened leaving Wilfred locked in.

"Fifty seconds and counting." The Master announces happily.

"To what?" He asks him.

"Oh, you're going to love this."

He rushes back to the computer and starts trying to override the lock and shut the thing down. He hears a phone ring and looks over to see Wilfred pull his out of his pocket.

"Hello? Oh, God. Donna?" Wilfred pauses. "But wait a minute. I mean, what about you? Can't you see anything?" Wilfred asks Donna confused.

"What is it, hypnotism? Mind control. You're grafting your thoughts inside them, is that it?" He asks the Master blocking out Wilfred's conversation."

"Oh, that's way too easy. No, no, no. They're not going to think like me, they're going to become me." The Master face lights up at his confusion. "And, zero!"

A blast of energy moves out from the Master and the Gate. Every face in the room, except for his and Wilfred's face, turn blurry for a moment and then become the Masters. He immediately thinks of Rose and Kiam. Rose would change but he wasn't sure if Kiam could.

"You can't have." He tells the Master.

"Doctor? She's starting to remember." He hears Wilfred call behind him. "What is it? What have you done, you monster?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, are you talking to me?" The Master asks.

"Or to me?"

"Or to us?" One of the Masters dressed as a Solider asks.

"Breaking news. I'm everyone. And everyone in the world is me!" The Tv host announces.

He is grabbed roughly by the soldiers and forced onto a trolley where they bind him and then force a gag in his mouth as he tries to tell the Master to let him go.

"Now then, I've got a planet to run. Is everybody ready?" The Master says turning towards the Tv screen which has been changed and now shows multiple Masters wearing different clothes.

"Six billion, seven hundred and twenty seven million, nine hundred and  
Forty nine thousand three hundred and thirty eight versions of us awaiting orders." One answers

"This is Washington. As President of the United States, I can transfer all the United Nations protocols to you immediately, putting you in charge of all the Earth's defenses."

"UNIT HQ, Geneva reporting. All under your command, sir."

"And this is the Central Military Commission here in Beijing, sir, with over two point five million soldiers, sir. Present arms!"

"Enough soldiers and weapons to turn this planet into a warship." The Master comes close to him and leans over closely. "Nothing to say, Doctor? What's that? Pardon? Sorry?"

"You let him go, you swine." Wilfred calls out from inside the booth.

"Oh, your dad's still kicking up a fuss."

"Yeah? Well, I'd be proud if I was." He feels proud for a moment but the feeling quickly fades. He liked Wilfred but he had Wilfred had no idea the terrible things he had done. He didn't know the side of him that had considered giving his son up or the side that kept pushing Rose away.

"Hush, now. Listen to your Master." A phone ringing breaks the silence in the room. "But that's a mobile." The Master says confused.

"Yeah, it's mine. Let me turn it off." Wilfred says.

"No, I don't think you understand. Everybody on this planet is me. And I'm not phoning you, so who the hell is that?" He asks Wilfred angrily heading over to him. One of the Master's clones enters the booth and opens the door on Wilfred's side. The Master reaches in and pulls Wilfred out.

"It's nobody. I tell you, it's nothing." Wilfred cries out. "It's probably one of them ring-back calls." The Master searches through Wilfred's pockets and pulls out a revolver. He throws it aside and then starts digging again. He pulls out a phone and opens it. He looks at the screen but doesn't put it to his ear.

"Donna. Who's Donna?" The Master asks.

"She's no one. Just leave it." Wilfred begs him.

Who is she? Why didn't she change?" The Master asks him.

"Well, it was this thing the Doctor did. He did it to her. The Metacrisis." Wilfred says.

"Oh, he loves playing with Earth girls. Ugh!" The Master looks at him and he narrows his eyes at him, but that also made him wonder. If Donna didn't change and the Master hadn't noticed was it possible that Kiam didn't change either. He hoped the little boy would stay hidden while he sorted this out. He couldn't possibly get to him while tied up and he didn't know for sure whether or not he was Timelord enough not to be affected.

"Find her. Trace the call." The Master says. "Say goodbye to the freak, Granddad." He holds out the phone to Wilfred who cries out.

"Donna, get out of there! Just get out of there. I'm telling you, run!"

"She's on Wessex Lane, Chiswick. Open the phone lines. Everyone on Wessex Lane. Red alert." One of the Clones tells the Master.

"Run, sweetheart, that's all. Run for your life!" Wilfred calls into the phone. "Donna? What's happening? Are you still there?" Wilfred pauses as he listens to Donna. "Look, I'm telling you to run, Donna.  
Just run, sweetheart." He tells Donna desperately.

Wilfred's eyes fill with tears. "Doctor she remembers." The phone goes dead as Wilfred continues to yell Donna into it.

He smiles at the Master through his gag and then winks at him. The Master storms over and removes his gag.

"That's better." He stretches his mouth. "Hello. But really, did you think I'd leave my best friend without a defense mechanism?"

"Doctor? What happened?" Wilfred asks him.

"She's all right. She's fine, I promise. She'll just sleep." He reassures Wilfred.

"Where's your Tardis?" The Master asks him.

"Where's River?"

"Tell me, Where is the Tardis." The Master asks him again.

"You could be so wonderful." He says noticing one of the guards.

"Where is it?"

"You're a genius. You're stone cold brilliant, you are. I swear, you really are. But you could be so much more. You could be beautiful. With a mind like that, we could travel the stars. It would be my honor. Because you don't need to own the universe, just see it. To have the privilege of seeing the whole of time and space. That's ownership enough." He tells the Master.

"Would it stop, then? The noise in my head?" The Master asks him.

"I can help." He tells him.

"I don't know what I'd be without that noise."

"I wonder what I'd be, without you, old friend."

"Yeah."

"What does he mean? What noise?" Wilfred asks not understanding.

"It began on Gallifrey, as children. Not that you'd call it childhood. More a life of duty. Eight years old. I was taken for initiation, to stare into the Untempered Schism." The Master says.

"What does that mean?"

"It's a gap in the fabric of reality. You can see into the Time Vortex itself. And it hurts." He tells Wilfred as he remembers looking into it. It was then that he began to run.

"They took me there in the dark. I looked into time, old man, and I heard it calling to me. Drums. The never ending drums. The noise exists within my head, and now within six billion heads. Everyone on Earth can hear it. Imagine. Oh. Oh, yes." He jumps up happily. "But what did you say to me, back in the wasteland? You said the end of time."

"I said something is returning. I was shown a prophecy. That's why I need your help."

"What if I'm part of it? Don't you see? The drumbeat is calling from so far away. From the end of time itself. And now it's been amplified six billion times. Triangulate all those signals. I could find its source. Oh, Doctor. That's what your prophecy was. Me!" The Master comes close to him again and then slaps him hard across the face. "Where's the Tardis?"

"No. Just stop. Just think." He begs the Master.

"Kill him." The Master tells the guard and the guard heads over to Wilfred.

"I need that technology, Doctor. Tell me where it is, or the old man is dead."

"Don't tell him." Wilfred begs.

"I'll kill him right now!" The Master says.

"Actually, the most impressive thing about you is that after all this time, you're still bone dead stupid." He says taking a different approach since complimenting him didn't seem to work. "You've got six billion pairs of eyes, but you still can't see the obvious, can you?"

"Like what?" The Master asks him.

"That guard is one inch too tall."

The guard knocks out the Master with his rifle butt, then removes his helmet to reveal a green spiky head.

"Oh my God, I hit him. I've never hit anyone in my life." Rossiter freaks out as Addams rushes in.

"Well, come on. We need to get out of here fast." She tells them.  
She goes over to Wilfred while Rossiter starts on the straps holding him down.

"God bless the cactuses!" Wilfred says.

"That's cacti." He corrects Wilfred.

"That's racist!" Rossiter says.

"Come on! We've got to get out." Addams says frantically.

"There's too many buckles and straps."

"Just wheel him." She says.

"No, no, no. Get me out." But Rossiter doesn't listen and goes behind him and leans him backwards. "No, no, no, don't." He cries as he feels himself being pushed forward. "Don't! No, no, no." They wheel him down a corridor.

"Which way?" Rossiter asks.

"This way." Addams responds.

"No. The other way. I've got my Tardis." He asks. He was feeling the sick from being pushed around and getting angry that they wouldn't listen to him.

"I know what I'm doing." Rossiter tells him.

"No, no, no, just just listen to me!" They head down the hall way and at the end of the hall is a set of stairs. "Not the stairs. Not the stairs!" He cries out as they start to head down them, jostling his whole body and causing the straps to dig in painfully. "Worst rescue ever! Just stop and listen to me!" He tries again.

They make it into the basement where the Master runs in with his guards.

"Gotcha."

"You think so?" Addams asks him. She presses a button on her wrist watch and they are transported to a ship.

"Now get me out of this thing!" He says through clenched teeth.

"Don't say thanks, will you." Rossiter pouts.

"He's not going to let us go. Just hurry up and get me out!"

"Oh, my goodness me. We're in space!" Wilfred says heading to a window.

It takes a few minutes but they finally manage to get him free. He pulls out his sonic and zaps the teleport controls with his sonic to stop anyone else from coming through.

"Where's your flight deck?"

"But we're safe. We're a hundred thousand miles above the Earth." Addams tells him.

"And he's got every single missile on the planet ready to fire." He says calmly, though his eyes still blaze with anger.

"Good point." Addams runs out and he follows her. Noticing that Wilfred isn't following them he turns and runs back to him and gently takes his arm and leads him away from the window.

"But we're in space!" Wilfred says amazed.

"Yep."

He hurries up the flight deck. "We've got to close it down!" He tells them.

"No chance, mate. We're going home." Rossiter says.

"We're just a salvage team. Local politics has got nothing to do with us. Not unless there's a carnival. Sooner we get back to Vinvocci space the better." Addams adds.

"We're not leaving." He pulls out his sonic, points it at the controls and shuts down the entire system.

Addams rushes over to the controls. "No sign of any missiles. No sign of anything. You've wrecked the place!"

"The engines are burnt out. All we've got is auxiliary lights. Everything else is kaput. We can't move. We're stuck in orbit."

"I know you, though. I bet you've got a plan, haven't you?" Wilfred says hopefully to him. He turns and walks away from Wilfred and heads back to the teleport room wanting to be alone. He starts messing with the system but his thoughts are else where. He had caused all of this. He had been responsible for The Master escaping the Pandorica and he wasn't able to stop him from changing the world.

"Aye, aye. Got this old tub mended?" Wilfred says coming into the room.

"Just trying to fix the heating." He lies.

"Oh. I've always dreamt of a view like that. Hee, hee. I'm an astronaut. It's dawn over England, look. Brand new day. My wife's buried down there. I might never visit her again now. Do you think he changed them, in their graves?" Wilfred asks him, sitting down on a nearby step to look out the window again.

"I'm sorry." He says and moves to sit next to the man.

"No, not your fault."

"Isn't it?"

"Oh, 1948, I was over there. End of the Mandate in Palestine. Private Mott. Skinny little idiot, I was. Stood on this rooftop, in the middle of a skirmish. It was like a blizzard, all them bullets in the air. The world gone mad. Yeah, you don't want to listen to an old man's tales, do you?" Wilfred says.

"I'm older than you." He says simply.

"Get away."

"I'm nine hundred and eight." He tells him and smiles briefly at the look that crosses his face.

"What, really, though? Nine hundred years. We must look like insects to you."

"I think you look like giants." He tells him.

"Listen, I, I want you to have this. I've kept it all this time, and I thought.." Wilfred cuts off as he pulls the revolver out of his pocket and offers it to him. He looks at it and then pushes it away.

"No." He tells him.

"No, but if you take it, you could..."

"No. You had that gun in the mansion. You could have shot the Master there and then."

"Too scared, I suppose."

"I'd be proud. If you were my dad." He tells Wilfred truthfully.

"Oh, come on, don't start. But you said, you were told you will die. Well, it's him, isn't it? The Master is going to kill you."

"Yeah." He says sadly.

"Then kill him first."

"And that's how the Master started. It's not like I'm an innocent. I've taken lives. I got worse. I got clever. Manipulated people into taking their own." He sighs."Sometimes I think a Time Lord lives too long." Wilfred offers him the gun again and he puts his hands in his pockets and leans away. "I can't. I just can't."

"If the Master dies, what happens to all the people?"

"The template snaps." He tells him.

"What, they go back to being human? They're alive, and human. Then don't you dare, sir. Don't you dare put him before them. Now you take this. That's an order, Doctor. Take the gun. You take the gun and save your life. And please don't die. You're the most wonderful man and I don't want you to die." Wilfred says crying.

He looks away from him. "Never."

"A star fell from the sky. Don't you want to know where from? Because now it makes sense, Doctor." He hears the Master say and then hears over the system.

"It's an open broadcast. Don't reply, or he'll know where we are." Addams tells him.

"The whole of my life. My destiny. The star was a diamond.  
And the diamond is a Whitepoint star. And I have worked all night to sanctify that gift. Now the star is mine. I can increase the signal and use it as a lifeline. Do you get it now? Do you see? Keep watching, Doctor. This should be spectacular. Over and out."

"What's he on about? What's he doing? Doctor, what does that mean?" Wilfred asks.

"A Whitepoint star is only found on one planet. Gallifrey. Which means it's the Time Lords. The Time Lords are returning."

"Well, I mean, that's good, isn't it? I mean, that's your people."

He questions himself for a moment and then takes the gun from Wilfred and runs back up the flight deck.


	51. The End of time part 3

Returning to the Flight deck in he can hear a signal being broadcast the same four beats over and over again.

"it's coming from Earth. It's on every single wavelength." Addams tells him.

"But you said your people were dead. Past tense." Wilfred says coming up behind him.

"Inside the Time War. And the whole War was Timelocked. Like, sealed inside a bubble. It's not a bubble but just think of a bubble. Nothing can get in or get out of the Timelock. Don't you see? Nothing can get in or get out, except something that was already there." He tries to explain.

"The signal. Since he was a kid." Wilfred says catching on.

"If they can follow the signal, they can escape before they die."

"Well, then, big reunion. We'll have a party." Wilfred says happily.

"There will be no party."

"But I've heard you talk about your people like they're wonderful."

"That's how I choose to remember them, the Time Lords of old. But then they went to war. An endless war, and it changed them right to the core. You've seen my enemies, Wilfred. The Time Lords are more dangerous than any of them." He says. Then he turns back to Addams. "Right, yes, you. This is a salvage ship, yes? You go trawling the asteroid fields for junk?"

"Yeah, what about it?" She says.

"So, you've got asteroid lasers!" He says happily.

"Yeah, but they're all frazzled." Rossiter says.

He throws a lever and two gun alcoves open on either side of the flight controls. " Consider them unfrazzled. You there, Addams, I'm going to need you on navigation." He looks to Rossiter. "And you, get in the laser-pod. Wilfred."

"Yeah?"

"Laser number two. The old soldier's got one more battle."

"This ship can't move. It's dead!" Addams tells him.

"Fix the heating?" He smiles at her and then throws two levers and powers up the ship.

"But now they can see us."

"Oh, yes!" He grabs the controls.

"This is my ship, and you're not moving it. Step away from the wheel." Addams tells him.

"There's an old Earth saying, Captain. A phrase of great power and wisdom, and consolation to the soul in times of need."

"What's that, then?"

"Allons-y!" He yells out and pulls back on the controls sending the ship towards the Earth and then through the atmosphere.

"You are blinking, flipping mad."

"You two. What did I say? Lasers." He calls out to Rossiter and Wilfred who are still nearby.

"What for?" Rossiter asks him.

"Because of the missiles. We've got to fight off an entire planet."

They run off to get to the laser pods and he drives the ship down to the ocean. "You two, open fire." He says over the intercom as he dodges a missile. one side starts shooting.

"Come on, Wilf!" He calls and to his relief he sees two more missiles explode before they can reach them.

"And there's more. Sixteen of them. Oh, and another sixteen." Addams says.

"Then get on the rear gun lasers! You two, open fire! Now!" He calls out, watching the missiles being destroyed.

When the last one is gone from radar he looks at Addams. "Lock the navigation." He tells her.

"Onto what?" She asks him.

"England. The Naismith mansion."

Wilfred and Rossiter come back on deck and after a few minutes he asks her. "Destination?"

"Fifty kliks and closing. We've locked on to the house. We are going to stop, though. Doctor? We are going to stop?"

"Doctor? Doctor, you said you were going to die."

"He said what?" Addams asks.

"But is that all of us? I won't stop you, sir. But is this it?" Wilfred asks him.

He pulls the spaceship's nose up at the last moment, then opens the hatch on the floor. He looks at Wilfred one last time with the revolver ready and then jumps down out of the hatch. He falls through the glass dome and lands hard on the marble floor. He breaks his nose as it hits the ground and feels the glass from the dome cut his bare skin on his face and arms. He tries to lift his arm with the gun and it drops to the ground. He then tries to stand but every muscle in his body aches. He lays there and watches as five Timelords arrive at the gate. Three of them are standing and the other two are kneeling with their faces in their hands.

"My Lord Doctor. My Lord Master. We are gathered for the end." Rassilon says.

"Listen to me. You can't!" He says pulling himself into a sitting position.

"It is a fitting paradox that our salvation comes at the hands of our most infamous child."

"Oh, he's not saving you. Don't you realize what he's doing?" He says to Rassilon.

"Hey, no, hey! That's mine. Hush. Look around you. I've transplanted myself into every single human being. But who wants a mongrel little species like them, because now I can transplant myself into every single Time Lord. Oh, yes, Mister President, sir, standing there all noble and resplendent and decrepit. Think how much better you're going to look as me." The Master says happily.

Rassilon holds up his metal gauntlet and as it glows everyone who looks like the Master goes blurry and then changes back to there normal self.

"On your knees, mankind." Rassilon says and the people in the room obey.

"No, that's fine, that's good, because you said salvation. I still saved you. Don't forget that." The Master says.

"The approach begins."

"Approach of what?" The Master asks.

"Something is returning. Don't you ever listen? That was the prophecy. Not someone, something." He says feeling as though he is explaining things to Kiam.

"What is it?" The Master asks.

"They're not just bringing back the species. It's Gallifrey. Right here, right now." The people in the room panic and run out.

"But, I did this. I get the credit. I'm on your side." The Master tells Rassilon. "But this is fantastic, isn't it? The Time Lords restored."

"You weren't there in the final days of the War. You never saw what was born. But if the Timelock's broken, then everything's coming through. Not just the Daleks, but the Skaro Degradations, the Horde of Travesties, the Nightmare Child, the Could-have-been King with his army of Meanwhiles and Never-weres. The War turned into hell. And that's what you've opened, right above the Earth. Hell is descending."

"My kind of world." The Master says.

"Just listen! Because even the Time Lords can't survive that." He tells him.

"We will initiate the Final Sanction. The end of time will come at my hand. The rupture will continue until it rips the Time Vortex apart." Rassilon announces.

"That's suicide." The Master says.

"We will ascend to become creatures of consciousness alone. Free of these bodies, free of time, and cause and effect, while creation itself ceases to be."

"You see now? That's what they were planning in the final days of the War. I had to stop them." He looks at the Master and starts to pull himself to his feet.

"Then, take me with you, Lord President. Let me ascend into glory."

"You are diseased, albeit a disease of our own making. No more." Rassilon says.

He pulls out the revolver and points it at Rassilon.

"Choose your enemy well. We are many. The Master is but one." Rassilon tells him.

"But he's the President. Kill him, and Gallifrey could be yours." The Master says and he turns and aims at the Master. "He's to blame, not me. Oh, the link is inside my head. Kill me, the link gets broken, they go back. You never would, you coward. Go on then. Do it."

He turns back and aims again at Rassilon.

"Exactly. It's not just me, it's him. He's the link. Kill him!" The Master taunts him.

"The final act of your life is murder. But which one of us?" Rassilon asks him. He see movement behind Rassilon and he watches as his mother lowers he hands from her face. His face falls as he thinks of all the things she would never see and remembers how much he has missed her. But her being their on her knees tells him that she went against Rassilon and that makes his decision easy. He sees her looking over his shoulder in the Masters direction and he realizes what she sees. He turns back around to the Master.

"Get out of the way." He says and the Master smiles and dives out of the way as he shoots the controls and the link explodes. The Timelords start being sucked back into the void.

"The link is broken. Back into the Time War, Rassilon. Back into hell." He calls out.

"You'll die with me, Doctor." Rassilon says.

"I know." He says. He keeps one eye on Rassilon and the other on his mother as she smiles sadly at him and then recovers her face. Rassilon aims the gauntlet at him and he hears the Master say. "Get out of the way."

He manages to take a step back and the Master starts attack Rassilon with his energy.

"You did this to me! All of my life! You made me!" He screams at him and forces Rassilon to his knees. He stands there and keeps firing energy at him until there is a bright light and the Timelords and Gallifrey disappear.

Unable to hold himself up anymore he falls to his knees. "Their gone." The Master says. "The drums are gone.

"Where's River," He asks the Master once more looking up at him.

"She's fine." The Master says. "You really don't know who she is do you?" He shakes his head. "She will contact you when it is time." and with that he press down a button on the vortex manipulator and disappears again.

"I'm alive." He realizes "I'm still alive."

He is still on his knees, overjoyed at the realization that he lived when he hears knocking. He turns his head slowly and sees Wilfred trapped in the nuclear booths.

"They gone, then? Yeah, good-o. If you could let me out?"

"Yeah." He stands up slowly and walks over to the chamber.

"Only, this thing seems to be making a bit of a noise." Wilfred says.

"The Master left the Nuclear Bolt running. It's gone into overload." He tells Wilfred.

"And that's bad, is it?"

"No, because all the excess radiation gets vented inside there. Vinvocci glass contains it. All five hundred thousand rads, about to flood that thing."

"Oh. Well, you'd better let me out, then." Wilfred says hopefully.

"Except it's gone critical. Touch one control and it floods. Even this would set it off." He holds up the sonic screwdriver.

"I'm sorry." Wilfred apologizes.

"Sure." he says coldly.

"Look, just leave me." Wilfred tells him.

"Okay, right then, I will." He starts to storm towards the doors to leave but about half way there he turns around and says angrily. "Because you had to go in there, didn't you? You had to go and get stuck, oh yes. Because that's who you are, Wilfred. You were always this. Waiting for me all this time." He turns to the nearby desk and runs his arm across it throwing everything to the ground.

"No really, just leave me. I'm an old man, Doctor. I've had my time."

"Well, exactly. Look at you. Not remotely important. But me? I could do so much more. So much more! But this is what I get. My reward. And it's not fair!" He pounds his fist against his chest and then realizes what he is saying. "Oh. Oh. I've lived too long."

"No. No, no, please, please don't. No, don't! Please don't! Please!" Wilfred begs him.

"Wilfred, it's my honor. Better be quick." But as he approaches the chamber he hears Wilfred say. "Tell Donna and Sylvia I love them" and then he sees Wilfred reach out and hit a button. The booth turns red as an alarm sounds. "Wilfred." He screams as he watches the man keel over. The power shuts down and he stares at the old man laying in the bottom of the chamber. Tears stream down his face and he pounds his hand against the glass. He stands there crying for his lost friend until he finally turns and heads back to the Tardis.

He lands the Tardis outside of the Noble's house and walks out slowly. Sylvia runs up to him with a grin on her face but as she gets closer and sees his face the grin fades. "No," she says.

"Sylvia, I am so so sorry." he says and she slams her fist into his chest.

"You monster," She screams hitting him. He doesn't fight her and lets her hit him until she collapses against him crying. He tries to comfort her but she stands tall again. "I don't want to ever see you around here again, you've done enough Doctor." She turns and heads back to the house and he watches her go.

He sent them a lottery ticket a couple of days later. He knew it wouldn't bring back Donna's memories or Wilfred but he could at least make sure that they were taken care of.

He had spent these last three months checking on his old companions. He had to make sure that he hadn't ruined their lives as well. He found Jo's family her kids and her grandchildren living happily. He saved Luke and made sure Sarah Jane was all right. He laughed with Martha and Mickey. Then got lectured by Jack. Finally he had reached Rose.

He landed the Tardis near the park by the Powell Estate and walked over to the gate to see Rose and Kiam playing on the swings. It had been four months since he had seen them but to them only three weeks had passed. Kiam spotted him and got off the swing running towards him "Dada" He screamed, launching himself into his arms.

He held him and then turned to Rose, who was walking wearily over. "Rose, I screwed up." He said. "I hurt you and I swore I never would. If you want more kids then we will have more kids. If you want to settle down and raise them here on Earth. I will. I will give up traveling and work for Jack or U.N.I.T if it means you will be happy." He reaches in his pocket and pulls her ring out, and holds it out to her. "If you let me, I will take care of you for the rest of your days and love you for the rest of mine." She holds out her hand and he slips the ring on her finger for the second time.


	52. Conversations and distractions

_To all my readers who are upset on who I killed in the last chapter. I am sorry but it will make since later I promise. Now we still have a ways to go, we have old friends and familiar faces, weddings and a whole lot of running. But first I think we start with a conversation._

* * *

It had been a long day and all he wanted to do was get back to the Tardis and climb into bed. But instead he was in a car heading to Cardiff. Rose was driving and he noted that she wasn't as bad of a driver as Jack had made her out to be. Kiam was sound asleep in the backseat.

After he had returned the ring to Rose, he had spent the afternoon chasing their son around the park. He knew Rose and him still needed to talk but Kiam was fast approaching three and even though he couldn't talk much his eyes blazed with wonder and understanding. He had agreed with Rose months ago that arguments and discussions, that didn't mean life or death, would wait until little ears were in bed asleep.

They pulled up to an old style two story home. They got out of the car and he opened the back and got out the still sleeping child and followed Rose up to the house. She opened the door and they entered and were greeted by Jack and Ianto sitting on the sofa. The television was on but neither seemed to be paying attention.

"His room is up the stairs first door on the left," Rose whispered. "How about you go get him into bed and I'll make us tea and meet you out back."

He put the little boy to bed and then headed down the stairs to Rose. As he passed the couch Jack raised his eyebrows at him and he returned the look. "Don't wait up," He told Jack.

He found her sitting at a little table twirling her ring around her finger, looking across the grass. He took off his coat and as he sat down across from her she asked.

"Did you find her."

"No."

"So where does that leave us?" She asks turning her attention to him.

"What do you mean?" He said not understanding he had explained how he felt when he gave her the ring back.

"Are you in love with River?"

"No." He answers her slightly shocked. "I feel responsible for the fact she was taken. I wanted to find her. But I was told she will find me when it's time." Rose looked at him questioningly and so he took a deep breath and explained everything that had happened those last few months.

"So the Master is still out there somewhere," She asked when he finally finished.

"Yep."

"Is he going to come after you again?"

"I don't know."

She looked at the watch around her wrist. "Come on it's two in the morning. We should get to bed." She comes close and pulls on his tie leading him into the house.

The next morning he helped her get her and Kiam's things together and Jack drove them back to the Tardis. He had meant what he said about settling down but Rose wouldn't hear of it. She loved the traveling and meeting new people as much as he did.

-DW-

They had been on the move constantly for the last week, visiting new planets. He parked the Tardis in orbit around an uninhabited planet intending to make repairs. Kiam had other plans. He had just settled on his back to start work when Kiam plopped himself on his chest and leaned down close to his face smiling. "Hi," the little boy said happily.

He smiled, "Daddy's trying to work." And Kiam leaned back. He turned his attention back to the console and immediately the little boy's face was in his again. He gave up and moved him off his chest and stood up. As soon as he was on his feet, Kiam smiled at him and took off running. Looking back over his shoulder to make sure that he was being followed. He chased him all around the Tardis and then he had an idea. He caught up easily to the little boy and picked him up. "Let's get Mommy." He told him and Kiam smiled.

He carried him to corridors with their rooms and then set him down. He put his finger to his lips and Kiam did the same looking up at him. They tiptoed to Roses room and he peeked around door to find the room empty. He ran in and grabbed the pillows off her bed and ran out again. He handed one of the pillows to Kiam and they continued down the corridor until he spotted her in the library reading. "Attack" he called out as they rushed her, and he threw her one of the pillows he was carrying. The game ended with him on his back on the floor with out his pillow and Rose and Kiam standing above him.

"Best two out of three?" He asks Rose. She stuck out her tongue at him.

"Awe Kiam, Daddy is a sore loser." She said sweetly. He sat up suddenly and jumped to his feet, startling Rose. He rushed out of the room to the control room and started throwing switches. The repairs he wanted to do were completely forgotten.

"Doctor," She asked concerned as the Tardis landed. He smiled at her and then rushed to the door throwing it open. Carnival music trickled in. He turned to Rose, "Do you like Farris Wheels?"


	53. Summons

_I love the reviews and the guessing on who River Song is in this story. Also a quick note, not to give anything away, but in answer to several questions Rose is not going to become a Timelady or have an extended lifespan, I want to keep her human._

* * *

They were visiting the museum on Paradost. He had been talking non stop about the various aliens on display there when he saw a familiar shade of blue under head of a Cyberman that he was been showing to Kiam. Looking around to make sure no one was watching he reached in and grabbed an envelope out. He looked down and saw that it had his name on it. He quickly stuffed it in his pocket as Rose came up behind him.

"Cyberman, really Doctor," She huffed.

"He needs to know what's out there." He answered Rose.

"He's three. He should be learning his ABC's and colors." Rose countered him.

"He's also Part Timelord and never on earth more then a few days a year." He said putting on his glasses and leaning closer to the face. "Although he is unlikely to see one like this. Haven't seen this type of technology in years. Look at this, Rose." He turned around to see she had moved on. They continued to explore until he finally lead them back to the Tardis.

"I'm going to go get dinner. I'm starving." Rose said kissing him on the cheek. "Wanna help Mommy." She asked Kiam holding out her hand.

"Yea," The little boy said happily and took her hand and they headed to the kitchen. He watched them leave and then flopped down in the Pilot seat and pulled the envelope out and opened it. Inside was a simple card with a Date, time and map coordinates. He flipped it over hoping for more but the back of the card was the same color as the envelope.

"River, is that you?" He asked softly. He hadn't given up on the fact she was out there but he hadn't mentioned since the night in Jack and Ianto's backyard. Instead he looked for her quietly on every planet they visited and while Rose and Kiam slept. He also kept his ears open for any rumors or anything from the Master but he seemed to have disappeared again for now.

"Dinner," Rose called out from the kitchen. He stuffs the envelope back into his pocket and heads to the kitchen.

"Chips," He says as he enters the room. "We can't survive on just chips Rose."

"Says you." She smiles at him with her tongue between her teeth. He heads to the counter and grabs a couple of bananas.

"How many times do I have to tell you, bananas are good." He joked.

-DW-

He was playing with the envelope again. He hadn't even realized he had taken it out of his pocket until he heard Rose ask. "What's that?"

"Nothing." He said quickly and stuffed it away. "How would you like to go pick out a wedding dress." He asked her happily.

"I thought we were just having a small wedding with a few friends." She replied narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him.

"We are but every bride needs a dress and Kiam could use some new clothes." He said walking over to her and taking her hips in his hands. "You could also get your hair done and make a day of it."

"You're trying to get rid of me."

"Just for a few hours." He admitted. "I just have to pop somewhere and I'll be back before you know it."

"Can I ask why?" Rose asked and he stared at her for a moment before she smiled at him. "All right, but you better only be a few hours. Not like the time it was only 12 hours and we were really gone 12 months.

"Cross my hearts."

He dropped them off in London and then set the Tardis to the information on the card. Stepping off the Tardis he was surprised to see that he was in the middle of nowhere. There was a small cafe off the side of the road but that was it. He headed into the cafe and found the place empty. He pulled out the envelope again and saw that he had arrived a few minutes early.

"Can I take your order sweetheart." A waitress in a fifty's era costume asked him.

"Just water for now." He replied and saw her roll her eyes. He searches his pockets and realizing he left his sonic in his other suit Jacket heads back to the Tardis. When he reenters the Cafe his jaw drops in surprise. Standing in front of him is River and Jack.

"This is cold. Even by your standards, this is cold." River says angrily.

"Or hello, as people used to say." He answered in shock that she was standing in front of him after all these months of trying to find her.

"Dada" A little voice cries out and rushes to him holding his arms high. He picks him up and the little boy grabs on to his coat tightly.

"Doctor?" He hears Rose say and looks over at her surprised. She is wearing the same clothes as when he dropped her off and her eyes are red and face is stained with tears. "You're alive."

"Hey, of course, I'm alive." He said and he takes her into his free arm and holds her close to him. "What happened." He asked and fresh sobs shake her body in response. "You're okay. How can you be okay?" She finally sobs out.

"Hey, of course I'm okay. I'm always okay. I'm the King of Okay. Oh, that's a rubbish title. Forget that title. Jack the Immortal. That's a good title." He smiles at Jack who glares at him with hatred" He turns to River instead. "Doctor River Song." He says.

She steps forward and slaps him hard across the face. "Okay. I'm assuming that is for not finding you sooner." She looked confused at him and he realizes quickly the events at the Pandorica haven't happened yet for her. "Or for something I haven't done yet."

"Yes, it is."

"Good. Looking forward to it."

"I don't understand. How can you be here?" Jack asks him.

"I was invited. Date, map reference. Same as you lot, I assume, otherwise it's a hell of a coincidence." He tells Jack. "Rose how did you and Kiam get here?"

"Jack, he picked us up at the store. He said you sent him."

He lets go of Rose and pulls out his sonic and sets the controls on Jack's vortex manipulator again. "I said no time traveling."

"You just fixed it." Jack replied angrily.

"River, what's going on?" Rose said turning to her.

"Rose ask him what age he is." River told her.

"Nine hundred and eight."

"Yeah, but you said you were" Rose starts but changes midsentence. "I don't understand."

"Yeah, you do." Jack says.

"I don't! What are we all doing here?" He asks them, hoping someone can explain it to him.

"We've been recruited. Something to do with space 1969, and a man called Canton Everett Delaware the third."

"Recruited by who?" He asks her.

"Someone who trusts you more than anybody else in the universe." River replies with a small smile.

"And who's that?"

"Spoilers."


	54. Secrets and Presidents

He led them on to the Tardis and started inputting the information he was given. "1969, that's an easy one! Funny, how some years are easy. Now, 1482, full of glitches. Now then, Canton Everett Delaware the third. That was his name, yeah? How many of those can there be? Well, three, I suppose." He watched as Rose stormed out of the room. River followed her. He turned to see Kiam sitting up on the pilot seat looking at a book with Jack. "Jack is everybody cross with me for some reason?"

"I'll find out," Jack said and left the room.

"What did daddy do?" He asked Kiam sitting down next to him. Kiam just smiled at him. He was tempted to enter the boy's mind and find out but instead he had another idea. He picked Kiam up and set him on his lap and moved Kiam's hands to his temples. "Close your eyes." He said softly and watched the little boy do so before he closed his own eyes.

"Show Daddy, what happened today." He says and he receives vague images of a beach. Something was coming out of the water and he saw himself heading to the water to greet it. Then a flashing green light and the image went black.

He opened his eyes and gently lowered Kiam's hands as the little boy opened his eyes. "Good job." He was extremely proud of Kiam but concerned with what the images meant. Rose was surprised he was alive and someone, he suspected the Master, had called them all there. He watched as the three of them entered the room again and stood around staring at him.

"Time isn't a straight line. It's all wibbly wobbly. There's loads of boring stuff like Sundays and Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons. But now and then there are Saturdays." He says happily and stands up putting Kiam back down on the seat. "Big temporal tipping points when anything's possible. The Tardis can't resist them, like a moth to a flame. She loves a party, so I give her 1969 and NASA, because that's space in the sixties, and Canton Everett Delaware the third, and this is where she's pointing." He turns the screen to where they can see it.

"Washington D.C., April the eighth, 1969. So why haven't we landed?" Rose asks him.

"Because that's not where we're going." He tells them and turns around to lean against the console.

"Oh. Where are we going?" Jack wonders.

"Home. Well, you are. Back to Ianto and saving the world. And Doctor Song, back to prison?" He looks at her and she nods. "Thought so. As for us, Rose has a wedding to plan and I need to do some repairs."

He looks at there faces staring at him confused. "What? A mysterious summons. You think I'm just going to go?" He runs his hands through his hair and then looks at each of them in turn. "Who sent those messages? I know you know. I can see it in your faces." He rubs his forehead. "Don't play games with me. Don't ever, ever think you're capable of that."

"You're going to have to trust us this time." River tells him. He steps away from the console and moves closer to her.

"Trust you? Sure. But, first of all, Doctor Song, just one thing. Who are you?" She just stares at him. "You're someone from my future. Getting that. But who? Okay. Why are you in prison? Who did you kill, hmm? Trust you? Seriously."

"Trust me." Rose speaks up.

"I do trust you." He walks over to her and looks her in the eye.

"You have to do this, and you can't ask why." She says finally.

"Are you being threatened?" He asks letting his anger rise. "Is someone making you say that?"

"No."

"You're lying." He tells her quickly.

"I'm not lying." He looks deep into her eyes and then kisses her softly on the lips. Pulling back " My life in your hands, Rose Tyler."

"Thank you." River tells Rose.

"So! Canton Everett Delaware the third. Who's he?" He asks loudly heading back to the screen. The three of them gather behind him.

"Ex FBI. Got kicked out." River says. "Six weeks after he left the Bureau, the President contacted him for a private meeting."

"Yeah, 1969. Who's President?" He asks.

"Richard Milhous Nixon. Vietnam, Watergate. There's some good stuff, too." Jack answers him.

"Not enough." He mumbles.

"Hippie!" River exclaims.

"Archaeologist."

"Okay, since I don't know what I'm getting into this time, for once I'm being discreet." He runs around the Tardis flipping levers. "I'm putting the engines on silent." He flips a switch and everything go silent. "Putting the outer shield on invisible. I haven't done this in a while. Big drain on the power."

"You can turn the Tardis invisible?" Jack asks surprised. He flips the wrong lever and the place lights up.

"Very nearly." River remarks and moves the lever near it.

"Did you touch something?" He asks looking at her.

"Just admiring your skills, sweetie." She smiles at him.

"Okay. Now I can't check the scanner. It doesn't work when we're cloaked." He starts to head to the door and notices they are all following him. "You lot, wait a moment. We're in the middle of the most powerful city in the most powerful country on Earth. Let's take it slow." He turns and steps out of the Tardis and closes the door behind him.

He sees two men sitting at a desk. One is obviously Richard Nixon and the other he assumes is Canton. They are both concentrating on the recording that is playing.

"Hello? Who is this? This is President Nixon. Who's calling? Is this you again?"

"Mister President?' A little girl says.

"A child." Canton sounds surprised.

"This is the President, yes."

"I'm scared, Mister President. I'm scared of the spaceman." She tells him.

"A little girl?" Canton asks.

"Boy" Nixon replies.

"How can you be sure?" And Nixon gestures back at the recording.

"What spaceman? Where are you phoning from? Where are you right now? Who are you?" He reaches into his pockets and silently pulls out a notebook writing down the answer.

"Jefferson Adams Hamilton." The little girl answers.

"Jefferson, listen to me." The Nixon on the recordings says but the recording cuts off.

"Surely this is something the Bureau could handle, sir."

"These calls happen wherever I am. How do I know the Bureau isn't involved? I can't trust anyone." Nixon looks up and sees him standing there. Realizing he has been caught he backs up into the Tardis.

"Hello, this is the Oval Office? I was looking for the oblong room. I'll just be off, then, shall I?" Canton jumps him and wrestles him to the ground as the secret service run in.

"Lockdown! Lockdown!" One of them cries out.

"Stop that!"

"River, Jack, have you got my scanner working yet?" He calls out.

"Get the President out of here. Sir, you have to go with them, now."

"River, make her blue again!" He calls out and to his relief the Tardis reappears in front of them.

"What the hell is that?"

He stands up and moves off to the side away from their grasp as they gawk at the Tardis.

"Mister President, that child just told you everything you need to know, but you weren't listening. Never mind, though, because I'll take the case." He raises his hands as he realizes they all have their guns trained on him still. "Fellows, the guns, really? I just walked into the highest security office in the United States and parked a big blue box on the rug. Do you think you can just shoot me?"

"They're Americans!" River calls out as they all rush out of the phone box. Kiam tries to follow but Jack blocks him in.

"Who the hell are you?" Nixon asks them.

"Sir, you need to stay back." Canton warns him.

"But who are they and what is that box?"

"It's a police box. I'm your new undercover agent on loan from Scotland Yard. Code name the Doctor. These are my top operatives, the Wolf, the Immortal, Mrs Robinson and the Baby."

"Who are you?"

"Nah, boring question. Who's phoning you? That's interesting." He moves away from them slowly. "Because Canton is right. That was definitely a girl's voice, which means there's only one place in America she can be phoning from."

"Where?" Canton asks him.

"Do not engage with the intruder, Mister Delaware." One of the Secret service tells him.

"You heard everything I heard. It's simple enough. Give me five minutes, I'll explain. On the other hand, lay a finger on me or my friends, and you'll never, ever know."

"How did you get it in here? I mean, you didn't carry it in."

"I'm Clever" He tugs on his left ear and smiles.

"Love it. Five minutes?"

"Five." He replies.

"Mister President, that man is a clear and present danger to..." The agent begins but Canton cuts him off.

"Mister President, that man walked in here with a big blue box and three of his friends and a child, and that's the man he walked past. One of them's worth listening to. I say we give him five minutes. See if he delivers."

"Thanks, Canton."

"If he doesn't, I'll shoot him myself." Canton says looking towards him

"Fair enough. I'm going to need a SWAT team, ready to mobilize and Street level maps covering all of Florida."

"Get him his maps."

-DW-

He has the maps spread out all over the office and is looking for a specific point on the map.

"Why Florida?" Canton asks curiously.

"There's where NASA is. She mentioned a spaceman. NASA's where the spacemen live. Also, there's another lead I'm following." As he turns back to the maps the phone rings.

"The kid?" Canton asks.

"Should I answer it?"

He finally pinpoints the location he was looking for. "Here! The only place in the United States that call could be coming from. See?" He points to the map and Canton comes over and looks. "Obvious, when you think about it."

"You, sir, are a genius."

"It's a hobby." He says proudly and Rose rolls her eyes.

"Mister President, answer the phone." Canton tells him.

"Hello. This is President Nixon."

"It's here! The spaceman's here! It's going to get me! It's going to eat me!" The little girl cries out.

"There's no time for a SWAT team. Let's go." He heads back to the Tardis and the rest follow him. "Mister President, tell her help's on the way. Canton, on no account follow me into this box and close the door behind you." They all enter and he rushes to the console.

"What the hell are you doing?" He makes sure they are all on board and watches Canton close the doors and then flicks the lever to send the Tardis on its way.

"Jefferson isn't a girl's name. It's not her name either." He turns around. "Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton. Jack?"

"Surnames of three of America's founding fathers." Jack answers him. "Lovely fellows. Two of them fancied me."

"You see, the President asked the child two questions. Where are you and who are you? She was answering where." He tells them. "Now, where would you find three big, historical names in a row like that?"

"Where?" Rose asks him.

"Here. Come on." He lands the Tardis and grabs Rose's hand and heads to the door.

"It's er" Canton says as they pass him.

"Are you taking care of this?" He asks Jack.

"Why not?"


	55. The impossible Astronaut

They had landed in a small warehouse office about five miles from Cape Kennedy Center.

"Why would a little girl be here?" Rose asked taking Kiam's hand tightly.

"I don't President asked the girl where she was, and she did what any lost little girl would do. She looked out of the window." He points at the street sign. "The only place in Florida, probably all of America, with those three street names on the same junction." He starts looking around with River while Rose stares out the window. He picks up the phone in the office to find that the cord has been cut. Jack and Canton finally join the group.

"We've moved. How, how can we have moved?" Canton asks confused.

"Be brave Canton. Come on." He says heading out the office door.

"It's a warehouse of some kind. Disused." River stated.

"You realize this is almost certainly a trap." Jack said.

"I noticed the phone, yes."

"What about it?" Rose asked.

"It was cut off. So how did the child phone from here?" River wondered aloud.

"I don't know, Let's find her and ask her." They walk further into the warehouse and come across some unusual technology. River scans it with her vortex manipulator.

"It's nonterrestrial. Definitely alien."

"Which is odd, because look at this!" He points at a crate of spacesuits sitting nearby. "This is from the space program."

"Stolen?" River asks.

"What, by aliens?" Rose looks at him and he shrugs.

"Apparently."

"But why? I mean, if you can make it all the way to Earth, why steal technology that can barely make it to the moon?" Rose asked.

"Very good question," He kneels down and examines one of the helmets. Finding nothing unusual he starts to look around again.

"Doctor? Look at this." River calls out and he heads over to her to find she is kneeling next to a manhole cover.

"So where does that go?"

"There's a network of tunnels running under here." She says looking at the readouts.

"Life signs?"

"No, nothing that's showing up."

"Those are the worst kind." He remarks and then watches as she removes the cover of the manhole and starts to head down the ladder.

"Be careful." He told her not wanting to have to rescue both her past and future self.

"Careful? I tried that once. Ever so dull."

"Shout if you get in trouble." Jack tells her.

"Don't worry, I'm quite the screamer."She winked at Jack. "Now there's a spoiler for you."

"So, I was in a bar having a drink. Tell me, honestly, Am I still there?" Canton asks.

"Afraid not." Rose answers him.

River pops her head up from the tunnel. "All clear. Just tunnels. Nothing down there I can see. Er, give me five minutes. I want to take another look around."

"Stupidly dangerous!" Jack says.

"Yeah, I like it too." She replies as she heads back down.

"Jack, would you mind going with her?"

"Not at all." He grinned. "Hang on, River. I'm coming too."

They had been gone awhile and getting worried he decided to head down himself. "Wait here." he tells Rose and Canton and then climbs down the ladder. He shines his flashlight and sees River and Jack. Jack has River pinned against the wall.

"Oi." He called out and they both turned to look at him. "We're suppose to be finding a child, not making one."

"You can join if you want," Jack smiled at him.

"Rose, where is my squirt gun."

"You let Kiam play with it." She called down. "Why."

Grumbling he turned and headed back up the ladder. "Come on. Those two can stay here."

Suddenly a little girls cries break the silence of the warehouse. "Help me!"

"That's her." Canton said rushing in that direction.

"Help me! Please!" The little girl cried out again.

"Doctor!" Canton called. He ran after Canton and found him laying on the ground. He pulled out his sonic and ran it over the man.

"Is he all right?" Rose asked coming up behind him.

"Just unconscious." He answered her.

"Help me!"

"That's it. The astronaut." Rose says and he looks at her confused before looking where she is pointing. He sees an astronaut coming towards them and Kiam whimpers and grabs his pants leg. He puts a protective hand on his son and watches as the visor goes back to reveal a little girl.

"Help me!" She calls out again and he starts to step forward but something is behind her. He looks at Rose and is startled to see her holding Canton's gun.

"Rose," He asks and she looks at the gun in her hand and looks at him.

"How did I get this." He gently takes it from her hand and then looks back at the girl. There is a being standing behind her that looks vaguely familiar. It opens it mouth and electricity starts to crackle. He picks up Kiam quickly and grabs Rose's hand, the minute he turns around again he still has the urgency to run but he forgets the little girl.

"Run," He says and sees Canton sitting up. "Jack, River, come on!" He calls.

"What the hell's going on?" Canton asks. He looks behind Canton and sees the creature standing there.

"Look behind you."

Canton looks and when he turns around his face goes blank. "There's nothing behind me."

"Look. Look. Canton, look, I tell you." He cries out.

-DW-

He is in a strait-jacket, shackled to a chair with a yellow circle around it. He is surrounded by guards and notices saying Do Not Approach The Prisoner and Do Not Interact With The Prisoner. Canton walks up to where he is sitting.

"We found Rose and Kiam Tyler. She had strange markings on her arm. Do you know what they are?" Canton asks him throwing pictures at his feet and he clearly sees Rose's arm with tally marks all along it.

"Why don't you ask her?"

-DW-

He watches interested as they build a wall around him.

"We found Doctor Song." Canton says approaching him again.

"These bricks, what are they made of?" He looks at Canton for a second. "Where is she?"

"She ran. Off the fiftieth floor."

He turns his attention back to the bricks. "I'd say zero balance dwarf star alloy. The densest material in the universe. Nothing gets through that. You're building me the perfect prison. And it still won't be enough."

-DW-

The cell has been completed and he sits there watching as Canton carries Kiam in and two guards drag body bags. Kiam light up seeing him and he smiles back at Kiam, before looking at Canton.

"Is there a reason you're doing this?"

"I want you to know where you stand." Canton says. "In the perfect cell. Nothing can penetrate these walls. Not a sound, not a radio wave, not the tiniest particle of anything." As the soldiers leave he walks over to the door and presses a panel. The door closes. "In here, you're literally cut off from the rest of the universe. So I guess they can't hear us, right?"

"Good work, Canton. Door sealed?" He asks.

"You bet." Canton answers and he stands up and and the straight Jacket and shackles fall off. He reaches out his arms and Kiam jumps into them. He hugs Kiam tightly and kisses his head as Canton opens the body bags and Rose and Jack sit up.

"Are you okay?" He asks Rose helping her to her feet.

"Finally." She says.

"These things could really do with air holes." Jack complains.

"Never had a complaint before." Canton says snidely.

"Isn't it going to look odd that you're staying in here with us?" Rose wonders.

"Odd, but not alarming. They know there's no way out of this place." Canton tells her.

"Exactly. Whatever they might think we're doing in here, they know we're not going anywhere." He snaps his fingers and the Tardis door opens. "Allons-y" He says heading on board.

"What about Doctor Song?" Canton asks once there all on. "She dove off a rooftop."

"Don't worry. She does that. I think." He tells Canton. "Jack get ready." He parks the Tardis sideways on the skyscraper and Jack catches River as she falls through the doors. He immediately flicks the lever and sends the Tardis back to the Time Vortex.

"So, we know they're everywhere. Not just a landing party, an occupying force, and they 'have been here a very, very long time. But nobody knows that, because no one can remember them." He says turning around to look at the group.

"So what are they up to?" Canton asks him.

"No idea. But we've got a secret weapon."

He injects Nanorecords into all of their hands and explains to them that if the light is flashing it means that they have had an encounter with the strange beings.

"You then describe exactly what you are seeing because the minute you look away you will forget." He explains. "In three months all we have learned is that they are everywhere. Jack describe them"

"I can't."

"No neither can I." He pauses "But, they've been running your lives for a very long time now, so keep this straight in your head. We are not fighting an alien invasion, we're leading a revolution. And today, the battle begins. Now then, a little girl in a spacesuit. They got the suit from NASA, but where did they get the girl?"

"It could be anywhere." Canton says.

"Except they'd probably stay close to that warehouse, because why bother doing anything else? And they'd take her from somewhere that would cause the least amount of attention. But you'll have to find her. I'm off to NASA."

"Find her? Where do we look?"

"Children's homes."


	56. Day of the moon

He drops Rose and Canton off to start searching the children's homes and he lands the Tardis at Kennedy Space Center.

"Apollo 11's your secret weapon?" River asks him.

"No, no. It's not Apollo 11. That would be silly. It's Neil Armstrong's foot." He tells River.

He looks at Jack. "Watch Kiam and keep your hands to yourself." Jack salutes him and he heads out of the Tardis and climbs up into the Rocket. He is laying there attaching a broadcaster boost when his cell phone rings.

"Rose." He answered it happily.

"I think we've found the place she was taken from." She tells him. "Because those things have been here. But the whole place is deserted. There's just one guy here and I think he's lost it."

"Repeated memory wipes fry your head eventually. Find out what you can, but don't hang around."

"Where are you?"

"Got to go. Got company. I love you." He closes the panel he is working on and grins at them. Don't worry, I've put everything back the way I found it."

They call the guards and he is handcuffed and taken to what looks like a class room. They had been questioning him for a while and he was starting to get impatient with waiting for Jack and River to show up. He really hoped for Jack's sake they showed up soon.

"Now, one more time, sir. How the hell did you get into the command module?" One of the men asks him.

"I told you. I'm on a top secret mission for the President." He answers for the third time.

"Well, maybe if you just get President Nixon to assure us of that, sir, that would be swell." The man says sarcastically.

"I sent him a message." He says calmly and finally the door opens. President Nixon enters with River and Jack dressed as guards

"Hello. I believe it's Mister Gardner. Is that correct? Head of Security?" He says taking the man's hand.

"Er, yes sir. Yes, Mister President." Mr. Gardner said happily.

"Mister Grant, is it?" He says turning to the other man.

"Yes, Mister President."

"Now, fellows, listen. This man, here, code name the Doctor, is doing some work for me personally. Could you cut him a little slack?"

"Er, Mister President, he did break in to Apollo 11."

Nixon looks at him and he grins at him and mouths Sorry.

"Well, I'm sure he had a very good reason for that. But I need you to release him now so he can get on with some very important work for the American people. Could you do that for me?" Nixon asks them. "Son, I am your Commander in Chief." He finishes when they are still hesitant.

"Then I guess that would be fine, Mister President."

"Glad to hear it." Nixon says as they undo his handcuffs.

"Thank you." He says to Nixon and heads back onto the Tardis. He sets the coordinates and lands the Tardis in the Oval office again and steps out into it with the President.

"You have to tape everything that happens in this office. Every word, or you won't know if you're under the influence."

"Doctor, you have to give me more than this. What were you doing to Apollo 11?"

"A thing. Now, no more questions. You have to trust me and nobody else."

River pops out of the Tardis with the telephone. "Doctor, it's Canton. Quick, he needs us."

-DW-

He lands the Tardis at the children's home and is out the door and heading into the building as soon as it lands. He runs up the stairs and hears Canton saying.

"Rose, can you hear me? Rose, I'm going to try to blow the lock. I need you to stand back."

He runs up behind Canton. "Okay, gun down. I've got it." He pulls out his sonic screwdriver.

"Rose, we're here. Are you okay?" He calls through the door.

"I can't see." Rose replies and the lock clicks and he opens the door and rushes in to find the room empty.

"Where is she, Doctor?" Jack asks him.

River goes over to the spacesuit lying on the floor. "It's empty." She says.

"It's dark. So dark. I don't know where I am. Please, can anybody hear me?" He picks Rose's nanorecorder off the floor.

"They took this out of her. How did they do that, Doctor? Why can I still hear her?" Jack asks him as he holds it.

"It defaults to live. This is current. Wherever she is right now, this is what she's saying." He says and looks at Jack. Before looking around the room for any clues. He notices pictures on the dresser and one of them is a familiar looking female holding a baby.

"But that's impossible."

"What's impossible," Jack asks.

"Nothing," He replies putting the picture in his pocket.

"Rose, can you hear me? We're coming for you. Wherever you are, we're coming, I swear." Jack says taking the recorder from him.

"She can't hear you. I'm so sorry. It's one way." He says sadly.

"Doctor, are you out there? Can you hear me? Doctor? Oh, God. Please, please, Doctor, just get me out of this." Rose says breaking his hearts.

"He's coming. I'll bring him, I swear." Jack tells the recorder.

A man wanders into the room. "Hello? Is somebody there? I think someone has been shot. I think we should help. We c. I can't re. I can't remember." He says looking blankly at them before wandering out of the room.

They look through the orphanage until they come across one of the beings in an office.

"Okay. Who and what are you?" He asks it.

"Silence, Doctor. We are the Silence. And Silence will fall." The being says.

"Help me." He says looking at Jack and together they lift the being up and move him back to the Tardis. He takes the Silence and Canton and drop them off in the cell and then transports them to the warehouse to examine the spacesuit. He leaves Jack on the Tardis with Kiam and heads out with River.

"It's an exoskeleton. Basically, life support. There's about twenty different kinds of alien tech in here." River tells him.

"Who was she? Why put her in here?" He asks River.

"You put this on, you don't even need to eat. The suit processes sunlight directly. It's got built in weaponry, and a communications system that can hack into anything."

"Including the telephone network?" He sticks his tongue to the corner of his mouth. "But why phone the President?" He says leaning close and pressing his glasses up.

"It defaults to the highest authority it can find. The little girl gets frightened, the most powerful man on Earth gets a phone call." He leans back again. "What are the Silence doing, raising a child?"

"Keeping her safe, even giving her independence."

"The only way to save Rose, is to work out what the Silence are doing.  
And every single thing we learn about them brings us a step closer." He tells Her. "It's possible she's not just any little girl."

"Well, I'd say she's human, going by the life support software." River begins. "But she climbed out of this suit. Like she forced her way out. She must be incredibly strong."

"Incredibly strong and running away." He smiles at River "I like her."

"We should be trying to find her." River tells him.

"Yes, I know. But how? Anyway, I have the strangest feeling she's going to find us."

"So, why does it look like a NASA spacesuit?" Jack says leaning in the Tardis door.

"Because that's what the Silence do. Think about it. They don't make anything themselves. They don't have to. They get other life forms to do it for them."

"So they're parasites, then."

"Superparasites, standing in the shadows of human history since the very beginning. We know they can influence human behaviour any way they want. If they've been doing that on a global scale for thousands of years. So, why did the human race suddenly decide to go to the Moon." He turns to the Television that is on in the corner on silence and he watches the rocket taking off.

The glove of the suit twitches. "This suit, it seems to be repairing itself. How's it doing that? Doctor, a unit like this, would it ever be able to move without an occupant?"

"Why?"

"Well, the little girl said the spaceman was coming to eat her. Maybe that's exactly what happened." River says.

"Doctor I love you." He hears Rose's nanorecorder saying. "My life was so boring before you just dropped out of the sky."

"She'll be safe for now." He tells Jack.

"Can't you save her?" Jack asks him

"I can track that signal back. Take us right to her." He says.

"Then why haven't you?"

"Because then what? I find her and then what do I do? This isn't an alien invasion. They live here. This is their empire. This is kicking the Romans out of Rome."

"Rome fell." Jack says.

"I know. I was there." He says darkly.

-DW-

He traces the recorder and lands the Tardis in what looks like a spaceship. "Kiam stay here." He steps through the door. "Interesting."  
He says seeing Rose tied to a chair surrounded by the Silence. "Jack, River, keep one Silent in eyeshot at all times." He says to them before turning his attention to them. "Oh, hello. Sorry, you were in the middle of something. I just had to say, though, have you seen what's on the telly?" He sets down a mobile television and turns it on. "Oh, hello, Rose. Are you all right? Want to watch some television? Ah. Now, stay where you are. Because look at me, I'm confident. You want to watch that, me, when I'm confident. Oh, and these are my friends," he gestures. "Jack and River."

"Nice hair, clever, has her own gun, and she really doesn't mind shooting people. I shouldn't like that. Kind of do, a bit." Jack gushes.

"Thank you, sweetie."

"I know you're team players and everything, but she'll definitely kill at least the first three of you." Jack tells them.

"Well, the first seven, easily." River says backing into Jack.

"Seven? Really?" Jack replies and he looks at Rose and they both roll their eyes.

"Oh, eight for you, honey."

"Stop it." Jack wiggles against her and he clearly hears Rose make a gagging sound.

"Make me."

"Yeah? Well, maybe I will."

"Is this really important flirting? Because I feel like I should be higher on the list right now." Rose asks them.

"Yes. Right. Sorry. As I was saying, my naughty friend here is going to kill the first three of you to attack, plus him behind, so maybe you want to draw lots." Jack finally says turning his attention back to the Silence. He looks at Jack.

"Can I continue now." Jack gestures and he steps forward. "Or maybe you could just listen a minute. Because all I really want to do is accept your total surrender and then I'll let you go in peace. Yes, you've been interfering in human history for thousands of years. Yes, people have suffered and died, but what's the point in two hearts, if you can't be a bit forgiving, now and then?." He pauses and they say nothing. "Okay, you got me. I'm lying. I'm not really going to let you go that easily. First, you tell me about the girl. Who is she? Why is she important? What's she for?" He looks to the telly to see that it is still in the nasa control room.

"Now, do you know how many people are watching this live on the telly? Half a billion. And that's nothing, because the human race will spread out among the stars. You just watch them fly. Billions and billions of them, for billions and billions of years, and every single one of them at some point in their lives, will look back at this man, taking that very first step, and they will never, ever forget it." He pulls out his phone and picks up another device by the Television. "Oh. But don't forget this bit. Ready?" He hooks the phone to the device.

On the television they hear Neil Armstrong say. "That's one small step for a man" The screen cuts out and the injured Silence appears. "You should kill us all on sight." Just as quickly it is back to Neil.

"You've given the order for your own execution, and the whole planet just heard you. You just raised an army against yourself and now, for a thousand generations, you're going to be ordering them to destroy you every day. How fast can you run? Because today's the day the human race throw you off their planet. They won't even know they're doing it." He notices that they are pulling the electricity to them again. "Run!" He yells.

River starts shooting as Jack runs to Rose and starts pulling at the straps. "I can't get her out!" Jack calls to him and he pulls out his sonic and helps Jack get Rose loose and then guards them as Jack helps Rose on to the Tardis.

"Don't let them build to full power."

"I know. There's a reason why I'm shooting, honey. What are you doing?"

"Helping." He says.

"You've got a screwdriver. Go build a cabinet."

He runs into the Tardis and starts setting it in motion again. He takes Canton back to the Oval office and watches him walk out of the doors before setting the Tardis to Stormcage.

He walks River out. "You could come with us." He tells her.

"I escape often enough, thank you. And I have a promise to live up to. You'll understand soon enough." She says.

Jack walked up to the cell and kissed River on the cheek. She grabbed him and pulled him closer. He adverted his eyes and headed back onto the Tardis.

"You have five minutes Jack, or I'm leaving with out you."

Jack enters a few minutes later.

"So, where to now?"


	57. Wedding

He took Rose and dropped her off at Jack's. It was exactly a week before the wedding and she still didn't have a dress. Luckily, Ianto was great with clothes and had agreed to help Rose pick one out.

"Are you sure you want to be here the whole week?" He asked her again.  
"You could just get you're dress and then we can pop off and come back for the wedding." He tempted her.

"I can't leave Sarah Jane to take care of everything. She's all ready done enough. Besides it will only be for a week." She tells him and he takes her into his arms and pulls her close. He ran his fingers down her cheek and kissed her forehead and then the tip of her nose before kissing her lips.

He could hardly believe this beautiful woman standing in front of him was the same 19 year old kid he picked up almost 5 years ago. She had matured and changed so much during that time and he was proud of the person she had become. He had loved the idea of her when he had first met her but now he couldn't imagine life without her.

She broke the kiss away, "I hate it when you do that." She said.

"Why,"

"Cause it makes it harder to leave."

"Then don't yet. Kiam's napping and we have a time machine." He picked her up bridal style and headed to her room.

-DW-

True to his word he had dropped her off at Jack's and then returned the day before the wedding. He walked off the Tardis with Kiam and she ran to him. "How long has it been for you." She asked.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, Three minutes." She gently smacked him and then kissed him.

"Come on," she pulled him happily into the house and left him with Ianto. He put on the suit Ianto had picked out and was surprised at how well it fit.

"My dad was a master Tailor," Ianto explained. He changed back into his pinstripes and headed downstairs to dinner.

"So Doctor, how does it feel knowing you are going to be married tomorrow." Jack teased him.

"I've been married before," He replied casually.

"Really," Jack says leaning forward. "How many times?"

"Jack," Rose cut in. "Do you really think this is proper conversation the night before my wedding. I mean he does want to get married tomorrow."

He looked at Rose surprised and she smiled at him to let him know she was teasing.

"All right time for bed." He said "Big day tomorrow." He stood up and headed to the front door. He wanted to sleep in Rose's room but she had insisted that it was bad luck. He had laughed but she was right with there life it was better not to chance it. He kissed her goodnight and headed out to the Tardis.

-DW-

He stood in the front of the church looking out at the small group that had gathered. He saw Sarah Jane and Luke. Martha was there with Mickey and her sister Tish. Ianto was sitting with River. He turned to look at Jack, who was his best man and Jack winked at him. He turned back to the church. There was a group of people on Rose's side that he didn't know. Some were her cousins and aunts and uncles. There was also a grandmother from her dad's side. Her best friend Shareen was standing near by as Rose's maid-of-honor.

The music started and he looked down the aisle to see Kiam, wearing a miniature suit, coming down the aisle with a pillow in his hands that held the rings. The minute Kiam saw him he took off running and grabbed on to his legs. He smiled as everyone laughed. The music changed and everyone stood up as Rose came into view. His hearts skipped a beat looking at her. She was wearing a simple white dress with no veil. Her hair was done in a loose bun with curls falling around her face and little white flowers. She looked at him and smiled.

As she reached him, he had to resist the urge to kiss her as he took her hand and turned toward's the preacher.

-DW-

The reception was still in full swing even though it had been going for a couple of hours now. Jack was getting drunker and drunker and right now he could hear him talking loudly to Ianto and River about things he could do, that weren't really appropriate for most ears.

He looked at River and gestured his head towards the pool just outside of the doors. She smiled and he watched as she led Jack outside and a few minutes later heard Jack scream and saw him flying into the water.

He laughed and looked around for Kiam who was sitting on Sarah Jane's lap eating another piece of cake. He tried to calculate how many pieces the little boy was up to. He had put a stop to Kiam getting his own cake at two but the little boy had used his charm to get other people's cake. He grimaced as he thought that they were going to be dealing with one sick little boy later.

He turned his attention to Rose who had her shoes off and was sitting in a chair talking to Shareen. Just over her shoulder he saw someone new standing at the door. It was the last person he expected to see. He walked over to Rose and kissed her.

"I'll be just a minute."

"Is something wrong."

"No, nothing," he gestured to the door and she looked.

"What is she doing her?"

"I'm about to find out." He kissed her again and went over to the woman.

"Hello, Slyvia." He said happily. She looked around the reception, like she was confused that all these people could be here for a man she considered a monster, before she turned to face him.

"Doctor can we talk." She said, "In private."

He gestured and she followed him out of the building and on to the front steps where she sat down. He sat down next to her and she turned to look at him.

"Donna's missing."


	58. Asking for help

He was happy he was sitting down as she told him "Donna's missing." Otherwise he is sure that his legs would have gave out.

"What do you mean, she is missing." He asked in shock.

"I mean exactly that, Doctor," She snapped at him. "She had gone out and she never returned. It has been almost two months now and she is sill gone."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner," He asked.

"You're not exactly easy to get a hold of and frankly I don't trust you."

"Fair enough." He looked out at the street and saw Jack running around the corner of the building. He was soaking wet and wearing nothing but a pair of boxers and his socks, River wasn't too far behind him. He decided to ignore the man and pretend he didn't know him, but as Jack passed he yelled. "Doctor" and then turned onto the nearby street.

Giving up he yelled. "River where are you going?"

Not breaking her stride she yelled, "He's going to climb the cell tower." He wondered how she could run so quickly in those heels. Rose always carried hers when they had to run. He looked at Syvlia apologetic.

"He'll kill himself." Slyvia told him.

"Yeah, but he'll be fine."

"Is that how you treat your friends Doctor," She asked as Ianto came around the corner holding Jack's coat. He gestured in the direction the two had gone and Ianto nodded his thanks as he took off again.

"Jack's unique. He will be fine." He repeats, "Now tell me about Donna."

"She remembers you."

"She can't," he raises his eyebrows at her.

"She does," Sylvia says. "Ever since she met her new boyfriend, her memories have been coming back. She talked about you all the time."

His mind raced. It was impossible. She shouldn't have been able to remember him with out burning up and then if she didn't release the energy it would kill her.

"Wait a minute, new boyfriend, what happened to Shaun?"

"They broke up."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be she broke up after she met him. I swear the first time I met him I thought she was dating Harold Saxon." She laughed but he didn't as she continued. "and everything was going fine until they had gone out and both disappeared."

"What is his name." He asked quietly.

"Cyril Yana," She replied.

The Master had Donna and he realized that he wasn't even trying to hide it. He didn't know why the Master had gone to Donna but he could guess. He must have been curious to why she didn't change when the rest of the world had. It would have been easy for him to use his hypnotic charm on an unsuspecting Donna. But how did he unlock her memories without killing her. That is what worried him most of all.

"I will find Donna, I promise you." He told Sylvia.

"Thank you," He stood up and then helped her to her feet. He watched her leaving as Jack came back wearing his coat and Ianto holding his arm tightly. River was walking behind them pouting.

"He wouldn't let me climb," Jack tells him as they head back into the building.

He walked over and started to sit by Rose but she stood up and pulled him out onto the dance floor. He took her left hand and pulled her close to him putting his right hand on the small of her back as she wrapped her arm around him and rested her head on his chest.

"What did Sylvia want," Rose asked as they started to rock to the music.

He kissed her head, as worried as he was about Donna, he wasn't going to ruin their wedding. "Nothing that can't wait until later." He lied.

They stayed in the reception hall until late in the evening. Finally it was just five of them. He was sitting sideways on a chair and Rose was leaning into him with her feet on the chairs in front of her. Kiam was half sitting on her and half on the chairs as well, sound asleep. They were watching Jack and Ianto trying to do a drunken duet but they were both singing different songs.

"Ready to go," He asked Rose and she nodded sleepily. He gently dislodged himself from her and stood up. He picked Kiam up and settled him on his shoulder before sonicing the sound system to turn it off.

"Oy, you two, time to go." He told the two men.

-DW-

They had spent the first night of marriage at Jack's house after Rose had driven them there. The original plan was to leave Kiam with Jack and head out to their honeymoon on Lakertya but with Jack and Ianto both drunk they decided it could wait until morning.

He lay with Rose and gently ran his fingers down her bare back as she laid against him. "What did Sylvia want?" She asked again sleepily.

"I told you, nothing that can't wait." He answered again.

"You're lying. I can tell you're lying."

"Donna's missing," He said and she turned to look at him horrified. He quickly explained everything Sylvia and him had discussed. "But I promise, it won't be like when I was looking for River." he finished.

"How do you know?"

"Because this time, he wants to be found." he said firmly. "Now enough talk." He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "Rose Tyler, you are wearing far too much."

"I'm only wearing a sheet." She responded.

"Exactly."


	59. The Master returns

It had been a week since the wedding. They had left Kiam with Jack and Ianto while they went on their honeymoon. While on the planet of Lakertya, they saw little of the large lake he had parked the Tardis by. Mainly they saw the inside of the Tardis, specifically the bedroom. But after a week it was time to get back to their life. He had to find Donna and they both missed Kiam. He sent the Tardis back to Cardiff, landing in Jack's backyard. Kiam was outside and to the doors almost as soon as it landed. Rose opened the doors and picked him up spinning him in her arms. He watched the two of them. He had thought he couldn't find Rose more beautiful but yet again he was proven wrong.

He stepped off the Tardis and closed the door tightly behind him. "Rose, can you please go get Kiam ready while I talk to Jack." She turned and headed into the house while Jack came over and leaned against the Tardis next to him.

"The Master has Donna." He told Jack.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am going to go after her and I may need you."

"Whatever you need. You will have the full support of myself and Torchwood." Jack turned to him. "So do you have a plan."

"No, I have a idea. It's like a plan, but with more greatness."

"So where is Donna at?"

"I don't know, and I have no clue on where to begin. " He said as Rose came back outside. "But that won't stop me.

-DW-

He was sitting on the pilot seat with Kiam on his lap again. He had his hands on Kiam's temples and he was trying to teach Kiam to block someone from entering his mind psychically but the little boy was being stubborn. He sent an angry no through the psychic link and the little boy squirmed and whimpered.

"Are you hurting him?" Rose asked concerned.

"No, I am trying to teach him to block me out." He said his voice calm and his eyes still closed.

"He looks unhappy." She tried again. "Maybe you could stop for today."

He opened his eyes and saw the discomfort on Kiam's face, he turned his head toward Rose. "I can't stop. If the Master gets a hold of him, he needs to know how to protect his mind." He turned back to Kiam. "Daddy is sorry but this is necessary. Now close your eyes." Kiam listened to him and he entered Kiam's mind easily again and tried to get the child to kick him out.

Kiam was squirming trying to get away from him and he felt Rose lift Kiam off of him. He opened his eyes and looked at her as Kiam buried his face against her.

He stands up and gets near at her seething as she back away from him. "I wasn't hurting him, he needs to learn to close his mind."

"He's just a child."

"Who is half Timelord and who travel's all of time and space." He says angrier then he meant to. "The Master is out there somewhere and try as we might, we can't always protect him. He needs to learn to protect himself." He takes a deep breath and tries to calm down but he is too angry. He kicks the Tardis console. "He keeps taking things I care about. Donna was suppose to be safe." He flops down onto the pilot seat. "Sylvia has a right to hate me."

"No, she doesn't," Rose said coming over slowly.

"Doesn't she? Because of me Donna lost her memories and now is missing and Wilfred is dead." He looks at Rose, tears in his eyes. "I should have died. Not him."

She sat down next to him and he heard the tears in her voice. "Don't say that?"

"It's true. Davros was right. Countless people have died for me. But I remember the names and faces of every single one. How many more have to die?" She wrapped her arm around him and pulled him close to her and he didn't resist as he laid his head down on her shoulder.

-DW-

While Kiam and Rose slept that night he set the Tardis controls to random and trusted her to take him where he needed to go. He grabbed his coat and put it on and then stepped of the Tardis. He was in large almost empty room and on the other side of it was a man sitting with his feet up on a desk. He walked over to the desk and sat down across from him.

"Hello Theta," The man said pleasantly, using the name he hadn't used since his days at the academy.

"Koschei," He said pleasantly following suit. "Where's Donna?"

"Same as River, she's safe."

"We're not playing these games again. You will return Donna to me at once unharmed," He told the Master furious.

"Oh Doctor, I always took you for being sweet, passionate, nice," he hissed the last word at him.

"Sweet, maybe. Passionate, I suppose, but don't ever mistake that for being nice." He scratched his head. "You only get one warning." He stands up and turns his back on the Master and starts to walk away. "That was it."

"Don't you want to know where she is?" The Master taunted him.

"You're just going to tell me?" He stopped, sensing it was a trick.

"No, but you could still ask." He walked back into the Tardis as the Master laughed at him. He could see him on the sensor laughing. He flicked the lever and sent the Tardis back into the time vortex.


	60. Preperations

_Sorry for the wait and then the short chapter. I am having a little more difficulty deciding what ten would do over 11 to save Donna. I have an idea where I am going to go with it so the next chapter should be up in a couple of days. _

* * *

24 hours had passed and he still hadn't heard from the Master. He was growing more impatient by the minute. It was time to take matters into his own hands. He landed the Tardis on the ship of the Twelfth Cyber Legion and walked out. They monitored the whole quadrant and if anyone had heard where Donna was being kept, it would be them.

"Where is Donna?" He asked sternly, but they refused to answer him. That was fine with him. He returned to the Tardis and sent it off, rematerializing it around Jack and Ianto. He barely looked up as he proceeded to send the Tardis back to the Cyber Legion.

"Get dressed and come back here." He told Jack.

"You could have called." Jack said standing up.

"There was no time." He responded and picked up a small box on the pilot seat.

"Is that a bomb." Jack asked curiously.

"Go get dressed." He sounded out each word carefully and watched as Jack hurried off with Ianto. They both returned a few minutes later fully dressed.

"So, Doctor what's the hurry?" Jack asked him.

"We are going after Donna but first I need to send a message to the Cyber Legion to find out where she is."

"With a bomb." Ianto stated.

"Only way they are going to listen," He turned to Jack. "I am going to drop you off on the leader's ship and Ianto and I are going to plant these on the other ships. You will need to make your way to floor 15 where the Cyberleader is located."

"You're going to blow up the ships." Jack asked surprised.

"That's the plan."

"What does Rose think of it?" Jack asked and then seeing the look on his face continued. "She doesn't know, does she."

"No, and I plan to keep it that way." He told Jack.

He dropped off Jack on floor 1 of the ship and told him exactly what he should say to the Cyberleader. Then he took off and landed on every ship and Ianto covered him as he planted the bombs. Once planted he hacked in to the Cyber Legion network and watched as Jack stood in front of the leader.

"I have a message and a question. A message from the Doctor and a question from me. Where is Donna Noble? Oh, don't give me those blank looks. The Twelfth Cyber Legion monitors this entire quadrant. You hear everything. So you tell me what I need to know. You tell me now, and I'll be on my way." Jack said.

"What is the Doctor's message?" The Cyberleader asked. Taking that as his cue he hit the button on the remote and the ships exploded around the Tardis.

"Would you like me to repeat the question?" Jack asked as the connection was lost.

He waited a minute and then Materialized the Tardis around Jack.

"Anything," He asked as soon as Jack was safely on board.

"Only two words," Jack responded. "Demon's run. Have you heard of it."

"Demon's run is a military base located on an asteroid. It comes from an old saying that demon's run when a good man goes to war." He says quietly the Master wanted a fight and he had no choice but to give it to him.

"Well then it is a good thing, you are a good man," Jack said happily.

"Good men don't need rules, today is the day the Master finds out why I have so many." He was going to need more people. He started to make a list of people who owed him favors and then changed his mind and started to make a list of people he could trust.

-DW-

Martha wasn't happy with his idea but her and Mickey came willing enough to help him out. He also called upon one of the Sontran's named Strax. He had met Strax several years back and he was currently serving a penance to restore the honor of his clone batch. He didn't completely trust Strax but he had prior knowledge of Demon's Run and could help.

He was currently eating dinner with Rose and Kiam while he waited impatiently for Jack to finish talking to River.

"I'm helping," Rose said again.

"No, it's too dangerous." He told her.

"I can't just sit by and wait."

"And I can't concentrate on saving Donna if you're in trouble." He smiled sadly at her and they ate in silence until Jack came into the room.

"She said she can't be there until the very end." Jack said sitting down and helping himself to a plate.

"So what took so long." He asked and Jack winked at him.

He leaned over and kissed Rose's head. "Finish eating and get some sleep, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." He stood up.

"Where are you going," She asked concerned.

"There are a few more people I need to gather," He headed back to the control room.


	61. Demon's Run

He had a small group gathered in the control room. He had one more person to pick up before heading to Demon's Run. He landed the Tardis to pick up Vastra, a Silurian who he had saved from the London underground. At her request he had taken her to live in London 1888. He opened the door and didn't look up as she entered and closed the door behind her.

"All right," he said flicking the switch to head to Demon's run. He looked up and his hearts stopped. "Jenny." he said almost breathless.

"Dad," She said and ran into his arms.

"Dad?" Rose asked behind him.

"It's a long story, I will tell you later," He said letting go of Jenny.

"You better."

He ignored her and turned to the rest. "We are going to Demon's Run to take control of the base and rescue Donna. I want every life spared. You hear me," He looked specifically at Strax and then Jack," everyone." He quickly explained the parts that everyone would take. He turned the Tardis silent and invisible as he landed various place on the military compound until only Rose, Kiam and him stood in the control room.

"You better come back in one piece." She said helping him into the long robes.

"I promise." He said kissing Kiam on the head and then kissing her passionately before pulling away and heading to the Tardis doors. He looked at her one last time before slipping out and closing the doors tightly behind him.

He fell in line with the Headless Monks walking behind a Colonel. He walked onto the stage with them and stood with his head down listening.

"On this day, in this place, the Doctor will fall." The Colonel announced.

"Hoo Rah!" His solider's responded.

"The man who talks, the man who reasons, the man who lies, will meet the perfect answer." The Colonel started again and he rolled his eyes. "Some of you have wondered why have we have allied ourselves with the Headless Monks. Perhaps you should have wondered why we call them Headless. It's time you knew what these guys have sacrificed for faith. Because these guys never can be persuaded. They never can be afraid. And they can never, ever be..."

He threw back his hood and smiled at the soldiers. He watched as they all raised there guns at him and he put his hands up. "Please, point a gun at me if it helps you relax. You're only human." He told them and watched as the headless monks stepped forward with their swords raised. He hoped the rest were in their positions otherwise he was in trouble.

"Doctor, you will come with me right now." The Colonel stepped forward. He smiled at the man. He looked up and saw Donna watching from the window behind the army.

"Donna, Get your coat!" He said happily and the lights went off. About time he thought but out loud he said. "Three minutes forty seconds." as he put his hood back up and headed to the door.

"Doctor? Doctor, show yourself." The Colonel cried as the lights came back on. He could hear people beginning to panic and a shot is fired. "Weapons down! Do not fire!" The man was desperately trying to regain control over the soldiers. "Do not fire. Nobody discharge their weapon in this room. Nobody! Do not fire!"

He got to the door and soniced it open and headed down the hall and up the set of stairs he was told would be there.

"We are not fools. We are not fools. We are not fools." He hears them chanting and stops himself from laughing out loud. He makes it up to the platform and watches as Silurians called by Vastra appear. Strax strolls up to the Colonel gun in hand.

"This base is now under our command." Strax tells him.

"I have a fleet out there. If Demon's Run goes down, there's an automatic distress call." The Colonel announces.

"Not if we knock out your communications array. And you've got incoming." He announced finally drawing their attention to where he stood.

"Jackie Boy to the Doctor. Jackie Boy to the Doctor." He hears over the intercom.

"Give 'em hell." He replies and listens as the communications array are knocked down. One minute, remained. Just enough time to get to the office. He headed there and took a seat in the chair and waited.

After a few moments Strax came in with the Colonel at gun point. "All airlocks sealed. Resistance neutralized." Strax told him.

"Sorry, Colonel. I lied. Three minutes forty two seconds."

"Colonel Manton, you will give the order for your men to withdraw." Strax tells him.

"No. Colonel Manton, I want you to tell your men to run away."

"You what?"

"Enough," He hears a new voice say and a bolt of electricity flashes and the Colonel falls to the floor dead.

"You didn't have to kill him." He told the Master angrily as he stood up.

"Would you prefer I killed her instead." The Master said turning as Jenny entered the room.

"Koschei, look at me." He said desperately and was relieved when he turned his head. "What do you want with Donna?"

"I wanted to know why Donna didn't change when I managed to change everyone else." The Master replied at him.

"I got that." He said circling slowly to place himself in front of Jenny. He wasn't about to let her die again to save him.

"She became my companion, as you call it." The Master smiled at him.

"How did you bring her memories back." He asked.

"Oh Theta, Theta, Theta. Like I would tell you that." He turned and started to walk away.

"I can't let you leave."

"You don't really have a choice." He stepped forward and the Master hit him with a bolt of electricity throwing him off of his feet and hard into the console.

"Dad," Jenny screamed and rushed over to him as the Master disappeared out of the door. He got to his feet as quickly as he could and rushed out of the door, but The Master was gone. "Strax, find him." He yelled behind him as he grabbed Jenny's hand and ran to where Donna was being kept.

He heard someone over the speakers announcing the retreat of the solider's but he didn't stop running until he reached Donna's room. He let go of Jenny's hand and pulled out his sonic. Opening the door quickly.

"Spaceman," He heard Donna say, before he was nearly knocked to the floor with her arms wrapped around him.

"Donna," He said smiling so big his face hurt. His face fell though as he looked over her shoulder and saw an empty bassinet. "Donna, are you a mother?" He asked quietly.

"Cyril, has our baby." She told him. "He said he would be right back."

"Oh, Donna," He said sadly.

"What?"

He reached out his hand and gently touched her arm. "Cyril isn't coming back." He said softly.

"Of Course he is." She said with her old fireyness that he loved.

"Donna," He said softly. "Cyril is a Timelord named the Master. My oldest friend and my greatest enemy." He saw dawning cross her face.

"He used me?" She asked and pain crossed his eyes. "No, he said he loved me."

"I know," He said and tried to wrap his arms around her and she pulled away.

"He wanted to get married and raise our daughter."

"I am sorry, I am so, so sorry." He said sadly.

"No, NO, NO," She screamed out as he managed to wrap his arms around her and fell to his knees with her as she cried. He held tightly to her as she sobbed. Finally she managed to ask.

"What about Melody."

"I will find her." He told Donna and she looked away. He reached out and turned her face back. "I found you, I can find her."

Vastra appeared at the door and he heard Jenny squeal and run to her. "Doctor? Take a look. They're leaving. Demon's Run is ours without a drop of blood spilled. My friend, you have never risen higher." She told him proudly but at that moment he didn't think he could have felt worse.

He escorted the Donna down to the main level to the Tardis and went on it. Rose rushed to him and he hugged her and then swapped out the robes for his long brown coat. He turned off the cloaking of the Tardis and turned on a force field as he left. Leaving Rose and Kiam inside again.

"The Silurians have escorted the Clerics out of the quadrant. Captain Avery and his men are going." Strax reported.

"Doctor, we need you in the main control room." Vastra said over the speakers.

"Be right there!" He called back and then looked at Donna. "Things to do. I've still got to work out what this base is for. We can't leave till we know."

He headed up to the main control room. "You've hacked into their software, then?" He asked Mickey impressed. "So what have we learned?"

"That anger is always the shortest distance to a mistake." Vastra replied.

"I'm sorry?" He asked turning away from the screens and to her instead.

"The words of an old friend who once found me in the London Underground, attempting to avenge my sisters on perfectly innocent tunnel diggers."

"Well, you were very angry at the time."

"As you were today, old friend. Point taken, I hope. Now, I have a question. A simple one. Is Melody human?" She asked him.

"No, she is probably like Kiam, part human, part Timelord." He looked at the readouts that Mickey pulled up on the baby. "Except Melody there only has one heart, show me her DNA scan." He said knowing the Master would have done one. Sure enough she had the same extra helix indicating she was part Timelord.

"I see you accessed our files." The Master said appearing on the screen." Do you understand yet? Oh, don't worry, I'm a long way away. But I like to keep tabs on you. The child, then. What do you think?"

"Give her back to Donna, why do you want a child anyways?" He asked the Master confused.

"She is the end to this endless, bitter war against you, Doctor." He taunted him.

"A child is not a weapon!"

"Oh, give me time. She can be. She will be." Screams and then the sound of gunfire from down below. "Oh look Doctor, it's begun all ready." and the screen went dark.

"Donna, Jenny," He yelled running down to where the Tardis was parked.  
He runs into the room to see Jack, Ianto, Strax and Jenny fighting the Headless monks. He looks around for Donna and sees her crouching behind some boxes with Martha, holding tightly to a little piece of cloth. He pulls out his sonic and sonic's a nearby console making it spark and electrocute one of the Monks.

The gun shots fade and he hears Jack yell "Stand down." He looks around to see the Monks laying dead on the floor and Strax is nearby wounded.

"It's strange. I have often dreamed of dying in combat. I'm not enjoying it as much as I'd hoped." Strax says.

"Come on, Strax. Don't give up." Martha says trying to tend to his wounds."

"It's all right. I've had a good life. I'm nearly twelve."

"Listen to me. You'll be back on your feet in no time. You're a warrior." She says hopefully.

"Martha, I'm a nurse." He replies before falling over. She puts her fingers to his neck.

"He's still alive." She says and continues to tend to him.

"Doctor, there's someone who wants to speak to you." He heads over to Vastra to see her kneeling beside a young woman. "Her name is Lorna. She came to warn us." He kneels down in front of her and scans her with the sonic. Reading the results he frowns to see she is dying.

"Hello." He says

"Doctor."

"You helped my friends. Thank you." He tells her.

"I met you once, in the Gamma Forests. You don't remember me."

"Hey, of course I remember." He lied as she looked at him sadly. I remember everyone. Hey, we ran, you and me. Didn't we run, Lorna?" He asks her making a mental note to visit the Gamma Forest and run with the young girl. He watches sadly as she passes away.

"Who was she?" He asks Vastra.

"I don't know, but she was very brave" She replied.

"They're always brave." He tells her.

"So, what now?" Vastra asked.

"It's already too late." He says standing up and turning away.

"You're giving up? You never do that." Vastra says surprised.

"Yeah, and don't you sometimes wish I did?" He replies heading back towards the Tardis.

"Well then, soldier. How goes the day?" River says appearing out of nowhere.

"Where the hell have you been? Every time you've asked, I have been there."

"Doctor," Jack said warningly.

"Where the hell were you today?" He angrily ask as he storms up to River.

"I couldn't have prevented this." She tells him.

"You could have tried!" He spats.

"And so, could you." She looks around him to Donna. "I know you're not all right. But hold tight, Donna, because you're going to be."

"You think I wanted this? I didn't do this. This, this wasn't me!" He yells angrily.

"This was exactly you. All this. All of it. You make them so afraid. When you began, all those years ago, sailing off to see the universe, did you ever think you'd become this? The man who can turn an army around at the mention of his name. Doctor. The word for healer and wise man throughout the universe. We get that word from you, you know. But if you carry on the way you are, what might that word come to mean? To the people of the Gamma Forests, the word Doctor means mighty warrior. How far you've come. And now he's taken a child, the child of your best friend, and he's going to turn her into a weapon just to bring you down. And all this in fear of you." She tells him

"Who are you?" He ask and she tries to go around him to Donna. "No you Don't who are you."

"Donna, do you have the prayer leaf that Lorna made." She asks and Donna clutches the little piece of cloth in her hand tighter. "Show him." River says kindly. He holds out his hand and she hands him the cloth. He looks at it and makes out the words Song Nobel. He looks up at her confused.

"I was adopted by a couple with the last name of Pond but in the Gamma Forest the only body of water is the River." She tells him and he finally gets it. The baby is her. He takes down the force field around the Tardis.

Jenny, Vastra, Donna, can you wait for me on board." He asks them and watches as Vastra gently picks up Strax and heads aboard the Tardis.

He leads River away from Jack and Ianto. "What do I do now?" He asks River and for once she answers him. "Find the little girl."

"Where?"

"You know where, because you have all ready found her once before," She tells him.

"But you weren't raised by Donna," He says. "I can change that. I can protect you."

"Don't you dare." She tells him. "Don't you change one line."

"Where do I take her?"

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Talk to Donna." She says.

"Right." He heads back to the Tardis. "River till we meet again. Jack can you get you and Ianto home?"

"Can do, Doctor."

He closes the door and sends the Tardis into the vortex.

"I believe you owe me an explanation." Rose says coming over.

"It can wait until morning." He says and takes her hand and leads her to their room. They would have a lot to discuss come morning but for now he needed to rest.


	62. Children

He woke up the next morning on his back with Rose on his left snuggled against his chest. She was still sleeping soundly. He looked to his right to see Kiam sleeping soundly and to the right of Kiam was Donna. She had her eyes closed but by the way they were darting around she looked like she was having a nightmare. He briefly wondered when his room had become community property. For almost 500 years his room had been his sanctuary away from his companions. The beautiful blond in his arms had changed that.

Now his bookshelf had his books as well as romance novels and on the lower shelves kids books. A daybed sat in the far corner with stuffed animals and kids blankets. His desk was still covered with his notebooks and writings as well as pictures of Him and Rose together or them as a family. Various pictures of Kiam decorated the wall above the desk. He had told her once he didn't do domestic, obviously he was wrong. He gently dislodged himself from her and got out of bed.

He went to the kitchen and went about making breakfast for everyone. The tea had just started to whistle as Jenny and Vastra entered the kitchen.

"Have a seat," he told them and gestured towards the table. "We have pancakes, eggs, sausage, toast and tea." He said happily and then kissed Jenny on the head and left the room to wake the rest.

They all sat around the table eating and laughing except for Donna who sat there quietly picking at her food and Strax who was still in the Medibay recovering.

"So, Jenny," Rose asked. He sipped his tea but he had promised her an answer today. "Who is her mother?"

"Technically, I am," He responded.

"How?"

"I am a child of the machine," Jenny answered her.

"They take DNA from one person and rewrite it and then grow a child from the DNA very quickly. Donna actually named her and it's been oo roughly two years since I have seen her. You haven't changed a bit by the way. How long has it been for you?" He smiled at her.

"About ten years." She replied.

"So you left her behind?" Rose asked.

"I only knew her about two hours, I thought she had died. She didn't regenerate right away."

"You never talk about her, is that what's going to happen to me when I die. I will be forgotten by you as you find someone to replace me."

"I don't talk about them because it hurts, but I have never forgotten any of them. My parents, my siblings, my wife, my children, my grandchildren. I remember them all." He told Rose, "And long after you are gone. I will remember you, even if I don't speak of you."

He reached out and gently took her hand before turning back to Jenny. "How did you get to the 1800's," He asked.

"I was exploring and I ran into a time agent. He promised to show me space and time. Our first stop was 1880 London. He left me there and that is where I met Vastra. She told me all about you and how you had saved her. We've been together ever since." She leaned over and kissed Vastra.

Donna stood up and left the room and he watched her go, before standing up himself.

"Where are you going?" Rose asked him.

"I need to talk to Donna," He replied and went out of the room and found her in the control room with her feet up on the console.

"How are you doing?" He asked her gently.

"How do you think?" She snapped.

"Right, right, Sorry." He swallowed hard.

"No, I'm sorry. I just want Melody back?" She said clutching the prayer leaf tightly.

"Tell me about her? Like how did you pick her name?"

"I named her after my cousin, Melody. I use to babysit her all the time as a kid. She was always causing trouble and I was the one bailing her out of it."

"What happened to her?"

"She took off several years ago to find her real parents. She was adopted and had wild stories of who they were. She decided she wanted to find them." He gave Donna a tight hug as he realized what he had to do.

He took Donna home to her mother, with the promise he would make things right and then took Jenny and Vastra back to their home in 1888. As he dropped them off he realized he had forgotten Martha and Mickey back on Demon's Run.

He materialized the Tardis in the main control room to find the two of them baracaded in the office the asteroid filled with troops again. He apologized over and over again as he took them home to Cardiff.

Martha didn't even look back as she stormed off the Tardis with Mickey mumbling that he was the tin dog again. With everything sorted out he landed the Tardis in 1962 New York. He started scanning the area for Timelord DNA and finally received a hit. He found a toddler wearing a dress that was too big for her. Her hair was wild and her skin a light mocha color. She breathed out and a gold trail exited her lips.

He felt nauseous as he scooped her into his arms and carried aboard the Tardis. He wondered what horrors a child had gone through to make her regenerate so young.

"Whose this?" Rose asked as he came on board.

"Melody," He answered and started flicking switches.

"You found her! Donna will be so happy."

"You can't tell her." He told Rose. "We aren't taking her home."

"Why not?" She asked sounding disgusted at him.

"Because if we do, the Master will just take her again. I am going to take her to Donna's aunt and she will be raised as Donna's cousin. She will be safe and Donna will get to watch her grow up." He saw the tears rolling down Roses face. "I have no choice." He tells her.

"I know what it is like to lose your child." She replied.

"So do I."

He landed the Tardis and took the little girl out and dropped her off at the orphanage. When he got back to the Tardis Rose was still in the control room waiting for him.

"You can't do this." She said looking at the scanner, where the little girl was clearly visible.

"I have too." He says and takes Rose in his arms and rubs her back as she stands against him shaking. He looked at the screen one last time before sending the Tardis off. Now it was time for River to make her own way back to them.


	63. Danger

It was suppose to be a peaceful planet. A nice place to relax after all they had been through lately with Demon's run and finding Donna. What he didn't know as he landed though was that the two human factions on the planet had been at war off and on for several years. He had wanted to help end the fighting and in retrospect he probably shouldn't have called the Leader of the Gray faction a Thickty thick head from planet Thicktonia, when he learned that the only reason they were fighting is whether the military uniforms should be gray or blue. If he hadn't been so irritated at the fact that another attempt at relaxing had been ruined, he would have realized that they would have been at war for any other reason.

The Gray leader demanded that he be taken prison and shot. Taking that as his cue to leave he had scooped up Kiam and taken off into the night, towards the Tardis with Rose. They had been running for several minutes and were well ahead of the men, when he had to set Kiam down. The little boy was getting to heavy for him to carry for long periods anymore. During those few precious seconds he could see two of the soldiers catching up to them.

"Come on," he grabbed Kiam's hand and took off running again with Rose slightly behind them. There was the sound of gunfire and he turned his head to see Rose stumble and then fall to the ground.

"Rose," he screamed rushing over to her.

"Doctor," she moaned.

He fell to his knees and then released Kiam's hand as he pulled out his sonic. The world seemed to stand still as he ran it over her body and then looked at the results.

"No, no, no, NO. You can't have her." He screamed at the universe.

"Mama," Kiam said quietly.

"Mama's fine, she just tripped." He quickly told the little boy.

"Mama's just got a boo boo." Rose said gently taking Kiam's hand.

He saw one of the solider's who had been chasing them getting closer. Without thinking he grabbed a rock, stood up and hit the man over the head with it, knocking the man out cold. He leaned down and as gently as he could scooped Rose up in his arms and headed quickly back to the Tardis, with Kiam clinging to his coat the whole way. As he carried her, he kept picturing Jenny lying in his arms. He wasn't going to let this end that way.

With shaking hands he opened up the Tardis door and entered it. He hurried over to the controls and quickly typed in coordinates and threw the lever.

"Mama," Kiam said again.

"Mama, just needs rest." He headed to the medical bay and entered it. He sat Rose as gently as he could on the bed and started to lift her shirt to see the damage that was done by the bullet by he stopped when he realized that Kiam was still behind him. Kiam didn't need to see anymore then he all ready had. He turned and knelt down in front of his son.

"Why don't you go find your pajamas on while I take care of Mommy."

Kiam just stared at him. "Please Kiam, listen to daddy and go get your pajamas." He was relieved when he finally turned and headed out the door. He stood up and turned his attention back to Rose. Her breathing had become shallower and more erratic. She had her eyes closed.

"Rose," He said trying to keep his voice calm but he was panicking. "Rose, open your eyes and listen to me." She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Rose I need you to stay awake."

"I'm cold." She said softly.

He pulled up her shirt to tend to her as he wondered what was taking the Tardis so long to reach their destination. He was sure they were suppose to be there by now. He desperately wanted to go check the controls but he couldn't leave Rose. He nearly cried with relief when he heard the familiar noise of the Tardis landing herself.

"Rose, help is coming you have to hang on." He surveyed the damage done by the bullet.

"Doctor," He heard a familiar voice call from the corridor.

"In here Martha." He called out and she rushed in a few seconds later in her nightgown. Her face looked concerned as she saw Rose but she immediately kicked in to her Doctor's training.

"What happened?" She said moving about the medical bay to grab the supplies she needed. She had spent many hours in the medical bay when she traveled with him, learning all she could about alien medicine.

"She was shot. It was all my fault." He said.

"Where's Kiam," She asked as she pulled over a small table with surgical equipment.

"He's fine." He replied.

"Go to him, while I tend to Rose." Martha said.

"I can't leave her."

"Your son needs you. Now wash up and go to him." She said kindly. He looked down at his arms and saw that they were covered in blood. He nodded and left the room and she closed the door behind him.

He went to the bathroom first and stripped off his coat, jacket and over shirt so that he was just in his trousers and undershirt. He washed up and then went to find Kiam. He quickly glanced into Kiam's room, knowing he wouldn't be in there, before heading to the room they all shared. He headed over to the daybed in the corner and feel to his knees to look under it. It was Kiam's favorite hiding place and sure enough the little boy was there clutching a teddy bear tightly to him.

"Come on," He said gently and Kiam crawled out and he gathered the child into his arms and sat down on the bed, holding him tightly.

"Mama, sleeping?" Kiam asked him and with that the tears he had been holding back broke free and streamed down his face.

"I don't know."


	64. Comas

He sat on the bed holding Kiam and humming an old Gallifreyan song, until long after the little boy had gone to sleep. He wanted to go to Rose and help Martha but in the state of mind he was in, he would only be in the way. He stood up and pulled back the covers laying Kiam down. He dug the teddy bear out of under the bed and laid it next to him before covering them both up. He sat down on the edge and then changing his mind, sunk to the floor instead where he sat with his knees drawn up to his chest.

"Doctor," He heard Martha say softly and he turned to look at her. The look on her face said it all. He stood up very quickly and stormed across the room at her. She started to back up, fear in her eyes.

"Get out," He hissed at her. "Get off my ship."

"I'm sorry, I did everything..."

"I said get out." He interrupted her, practically screaming, as they entered the control room. He watched her hurry off the Tardis and he followed her and slammed the door behind her. She was lying, she had to be lying. He stormed to the medical bay and then took a deep calming breath before entering the room. Rose was laying on the bed. His stomach flipped at the wound on her side and he covered her up. Covered she looked as though she were asleep. He scanned her with the sonic and then threw it against the wall when he read the results. He fell hard into the chair beside the bed.

"You owe me." He cried out. "I have given you so much, give her back to me." He took her hand and kissed it. "I'm sorry Rose, I am so so sorry." Tears fell anew as he thought of the little boy sound asleep. How was he going to explain this to him? He released her hand and buried his face in his hands crying as he hadn't cried in years.

"Doctor," He heard a voice say softly and he lifted his head quickly to see Rose looking at him through barely opened eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Rose, You you you," He stuttered. He lifted the blanket to see the wound on her stomach surrounded in golden light. He stood up, retrieved his sonic from where it was laying on the floor and headed back over to her. He scanned for the third time that day. She was weak and any attempt to move her could be detrimental but she was alive.

"This can't be," He said more to himself. He scanned her again but the results were the same. "It's impossible." Her eyes started to drift close and he panicked. "Rose, Rose, No don't leave me again."

"Oh Doctor. Do we have to leave? I am so tired." She said sleepily. He smiled sadly and leaned over to kiss her head. He sat there for a while watching her sleep. He scanned her again and saw that she had slipped into a coma. Frustrated he lifted the blanket again to see the wound was no longer glowing and was nearly healed. He didn't understand it.

He recovered her, stood up and headed to the control room before going to the Tardis doors and opening them. He looked out of them to see that the Tardis was parked in Martha's bedroom. She was sitting up in bed, with a book in her hand and a cup of tea beside her. She looked up at him as he stepped out into her room her face full of concern and sadness.

"I'm sorry." He said.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm the one whose sorry. I did everything I could but it wasn't enough."

"She's alive."

"What? What do you mean she's alive?"

He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her tea. She picked up the cup and handed it to him and he took a small drink before making a face. They had always disagreed on how tea should be made. He handed her back the cup and then went to her kitchen to make his own.

"You didn't answer me." She said standing behind him.

"She's alive." He stared down into the cup in his hands. "I don't know how. I scanned her and she was... well you know. Then she spoke. I scanned her again and she's slipped into a coma but she's alive." He took a long drink and felt the tea warm him. He watched as Martha turned and headed quickly out of the room. It was his turn to follow Martha as she walked onto the Tardis and to the medical bay.

He stood in the doorway as she examined Rose. "I don't understand." She said finally.

"Neither do I." He told her. He sat down in the chair again and Martha pulled up a second one beside him and they passed the rest of the night in silence. He didn't know how, it had to have been from the stress, but he fell asleep at one point with her wrist in his hand, feeling her pulse in through his fingers. When he woke up, he still was holding her wrist, with Martha asleep beside him. He took comfort in the fact that her pulse still felt steady in his hand.


	65. Awakening

It had been a week. He hadn't left Rose's side except for once to move the Tardis out of Martha's room and into her backyard. Martha had taken Kiam to Jack and Ianto where they agreed to watch him without question. During that week she hadn't changed and every thing he tried to bring her out of the coma had failed. Coma's were unusual in the later centuries but still not completely unheard of.

"When is the last time you slept." He heard Martha say from the doorway.

"I slept a few days ago." He answered her.

"Go, get some rest. I will stay with her."

"No, fat lot of good that did last time." He said and saw her wince, he reluctantly let go of Rose's hand and stood up and walked over to Martha. He pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," She said calmly and started to rub his back. The lack of sleep, the worry about Rose and her gently touch brought the tears flowing again. Martha held him as he cried until all his tears were spent and he stood there holding on to her like a lost child.

-DW-

He was alone with her in the sickbay. It had been a few days since he had broken down and cried. Afterwards he had slept for almost six hours straight and even though he felt better he was still overcome with worry that made it hard for him to think, let alone move from by her side. He reached up and gently brushed the hair back from her face before taking her hand in both of his and laying his head on it.

"Please Rose, Please Rose, just wake up. I promise I will keep you safe and never call anyone a thickhead again." He pleaded.

"Yes, you will." Came a quiet reply and he shot his head up and looked at her. Her eyes were open only a crack.

"Rose," He said tears coming to his eyes again. "Oh Rose, I am so sorry. I got you almost killed." He kissed her hand and then stood up and kissed her head. She closed her eyes again.

"Martha, Martha." He called out of the medical bay doors. Martha came running in.

"What is it?" She asked as calmly as she could.

"She woke up and then she left me again." He broke down in tears. Martha walked over to the equipment and was checking it.

"She's no longer in a coma Doctor. The read outs indicate that she is just in a deep sleep." He nodded and continued to wait for her to wake up again. This time when she did, he was watching and waiting.

"Hello," He said happily.

"Hi," She said. "You look sad."

"Do you remember what happened?" She shook her head. "I remember running."

"I got you shot." He admitted out loud, though he had told himself it a million times in the last week. "You've been in a coma for over a week now." He gently rubbed her hand with his.

"Is Kiam okay." She asked and her eyes looked panicked.

"He's fine," he reassured her quickly. "He has been staying with Jack while I take care of you. I will get Jack to bring him by later today." She smiled at him. "I missed you."

"I've been here." She said weakly and closed her eyes again. He kissed her and held her hand as she drifted off again and then headed to the control room to call Jack.

-DW-

"MAMA," Kiam screamed rushing into the room and over to the bed.

"Oh my baby." She opened her arms as he climbed up on the bed and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"Missed you." Kiam told her.

"I missed you." She held him tightly until He stepped forward.

"Okay, big guy. Mama needs to rest now. How about you go and play with Uncle Jack." He helped Kiam off the bed and watched as he ran off. He kissed Rose on the lips and started to leave the room.

"Stay with me." She said and he turned and headed for the chair. "There's plenty of room." She patted the bed next to her.

"I don't want to hurt you." He told her.

"You won't, now get up here." He took of his converse shoes and then climbed up on the bed and laid on his back. She rolled over and put her arm around him and rested her head on his chest. He held her until long after she fell asleep.


	66. The Tenth Hour and Cake

_Chapter 65 has been updated._

* * *

He was hitting buttons and pulling levers pushing the Tardis to go faster. Rose had recovered enough to where they could travel again and he was eager to stretch the Tardis's legs. He realized he had gone to far when the engines began to phase and smoke filled the control room. He landed the Tardis quickly. "Out," He cried at Kiam and Rose and opened the door, rushing out into the fresh air.

"Are you okay." He asked Rose as she started to cough.

"Fine," She said hoarsely and he scanned her to make sure. Finding nothing wrong he turned his attention to his little boy. He scanned him with the sonic and was reading the results when he heard a little voice behind him ask.

"Are you okay?" He turns around to see a little girl with a Scottish accent, standing there wearing a striped nightgown and a red jacket, with bright red hair.

"Yeah, just some smoke." He opens the door and leaned in. "Fans on." He called and is relived when it works.

"Are you policemen?" The little girl asks them.

"Why? Did you call a policeman?" He wonders turning his attention back to her.

She doesn't answer his question but instead asks "Did you come about the crack in my wall?"

"What crack?" Rose asked leaning down to her level.

"Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor, this is my wife Rose and this is Kiam. We're just travelers" He replied. "Does it scare you?"

"No, it just looks a bit weird." She told him misunderstanding his question.

"No, no, no. The crack in your wall. Does it scare you?"

Her green eyes grew wide, "Yes."

"Well then, no time to lose. Do everything I tell you, don't ask stupid questions, and don't wander off."

Rose stepped forward and took her hand in one and Kiam's in the other and he followed them into the house.

"If you're a doctor, why does your box say Police?"

"Good question." He told her, pleased that she noticed. "How old are you?"

"Seven."

He continues to follow them as they head up the stairs. "What's your name?"

"Amelia Pond."

"Oh, that's a brilliant name. Amelia Pond. Like a name in a fairy tale. Are we in Scotland, Amelia?"

"No. We had to move to England. It's rubbish." She tells him.

"Do you have a sister or a cousin named Melody." Rose asked her curiously.

"No." She responded.

"So what about your mum and dad, then? Are they upstairs?"

"I don't have a mum and dad. Just an aunt." She says sounding sad.

"I don't even have an aunt." He responded. They reached the top of the stairs and she let go of Rose's hand as she paused for a moment and looked at him.

"You're lucky."

"I know. So, your aunt, where is she?"

"She's out." Amelia said sounding as though this was a normal occurrence. He looked at Rose and she looked as concerned as he felt.

"And she left you all alone?" Rose asked her softly.

"I'm not scared."

"Course, you're not. So you know what I think?" He asked Amelia.

"What?"

"Must be a hell of a scary crack in your wall" He said and with that she turned and headed to one of the doors opening it. He followed her into the room with Rose and Kiam trailing behind him and saw on the wall a w shaped crack. He had seen a similar crack before when he was aboard the Byzantium with the Weeping Angels.

"You've had some cowboys in here. Not actual cowboys, though that can happen." He said heading over to the crack to examine it. "This wall is solid and the crack doesn't go all the way through it. So here's a thing. Where's the draft coming from?"

He pulled out his sonic screwdriver again and scanned the crack. "Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey. You know what the crack is?" He asked her.

"What?"

"It's a crack. But I'll tell you something funny. If you knocked this wall down, the crack would stay put, because the crack isn't in the wall."

"Where is it then?" She asked him quietly.

"Everywhere. In everything. It's a split in the skin of the world. Two parts of space and time that should never have touched, pressed together right here in the wall of your bedroom. Sometimes, can you hear?"

"A voice. Yes." The fear in her voice was clear. He listened closely and heard a faint growling but couldn't make out the words. He looked around the room and saw a water glass sitting on her nightstand. He rushed over to it and grabbed the glass. He emptied the contents on the floor and went back to the crack.

"That's considered rude." Rose scolded him. He smiled at Rose as he put the glass to the wall.

"Prisoner Zero has escaped." He heard the voice from the crack saying.

"Prisoner Zero?" He looked at her questioningly.

"Prisoner Zero has escaped. That's what I heard. What does it mean?"

"It means that on the other side of this wall, there's a prison and they've lost a prisoner. And you know what that means?"

"What?" She asked in a hushed voice.

"You need a better wall. The only way to close the breach is to open it all the way. The forces will invert and it'll snap itself shut. Or" He paused and looked first to where Kiam was ignoring them and looking at Amelia's books before turning back to Amelia.

"What?"

"You know when grown-ups tell you everything's going to be fine and you think they're probably lying to make you feel better?"

"Yes."

"Everything's going to be fine." He lied and took her hand. He aimed the sonic screwdriver at the crack. The crack widened and the bedroom was flooded with light.

"Prisoner Zero has escaped. Prisoner Zero has escaped." The voice came through the crack loudly.

"Hello? Hello?" He said into the crack. A giant blue eye appeared at the crack and stared at the three of them.

"What's that?" Amelia asked gripping his hand tighter. A bolt of light comes out of the crack and he feels a sharp pain and doubles over slightly, as his side grows hot. He straightens himself upright again as the pain recedes and watches as the crack closes.

"There, you see? Told you it would close. Good as new."

"What's that thing? Was that Prisoner Zero?"

"No. I think that was Prisoner Zero's guard." He releases her hand and reaches into his pocket and pulls out his psychic paper." Whatever it was, it sent me a message. Psychic paper. Takes a little message." He opened up the paper and almost started laughing when he read. "Prisoner Zero has escaped. But why tell us? Unless."

"Unless what?" She asks him.

"Unless Prisoner Zero escaped through here. But he couldn't have. We'd know." He responded He pulled out the sonic screwdriver again and did a quick scan of the room, finding nothing.

"Well it is time we were off."

He picked Kiam up off of the floor and then took Rose's hand as he headed down the stairs and outside to the Tardis, Amelia followed close behind.

"But it's just a box. How can you go anywhere in just a box."

"It's not a box. It's a time machine." He unlocked the door and leaned in. The smoke had cleared out. He was going to have to repair the engines before pushing her again.

"What, a real one? You've got a real time machine?" She started bouncing happily. "Can I come?"

He turned to look at Kiam who nodded eagerly and then looked at Rose.

"What about your Aunt?" She asked Amelia.

"She'll say it's okay. Please, I'll be good I promise." He looked at Rose, who looked back at him amused.

"Oh all right." He told Amelia. "But only one trip, then back before your Aunt notices you are missing."

She nodded "Wait here," she said and turned and ran back into the house. He waited and a few minutes later she came back dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, carrying a small red suitcase. She had her red coat on again and a pair of boots. He opened up the Tardis door and she ran in happily followed by Kiam.

He looked at Rose, "You always say we can't handle more then one child. Now's your chance to find out if you're wrong." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and then followed after the children. "All right Amelia, lets find you a room." He heard her say and watched the three of them disappear into the corridors. He closed the doors behind him and headed to the console.

-DW-

The tardis was parked orbiting in space while he was under the console making repairs. The others were further back in the tardis and the smell of food was drifting in from the kitchen. His stomach growling he stood up and headed to the kitchen. He stopped in the doorway in shock. It looked like a bag of flour had exploded. The children were both standing on stools covered in it and Rose was across from them also covered. Egg shells scattered the counter and various containers were on their side. Behind Rose a pot simmered away on the stove.

"What happened here?" He asked as he entered the room.

"Were making a cake," Amelia exclaimed happily.

"Cake" Kiam agreed with her.

"I think you are suppose to make cakes in the bowl, not on the counter."

"Awe it's no fun that way." Rose exclaimed and proceeded to measure out a cup of sugar and dump it on the counter. He shook his head as she gave him a look and added another cup of sugar to the first. He ignored her and walked up behind the children. "Both of you need to shower before dinner. Kiam use the one in out room. Now scoot." He said helping them off the stools. Amelia paused in the doorway as Kiam rushed out.

"The other bathroom is right across the hall." Rose told her.

"Thank you." Amelia responded before hurrying off.

He placed the chairs back at the table before turning his attention to Rose. He carefully studied her mess on the countertop, before picking up the vanilla and pouring some on. He looked up at her and smiled before turning to the bowl of batter on the counter. He sniffed it and then dipped his finger into it.

"It's missing something." He told her.

"No it's not, that is an old family recipe." She responded.

"Still missing something." He replied as he watched her pour it into the cake pan and then place it in the oven. She turned back to the mess on the counter and picked up a handful and threw it at him. He looked up at her surprised and she smiled at him with her tongue between her teeth.

"You need to shower too now." She said coming around the counter and grabbing his tie. He smiled and he followed her to her room.


	67. Koorharn

After everyone had gone to bed, he wandered to the medical bay. It was where he had been spending majority of his nights. He needed to understand why Rose's side had healed. He had run through everything he could think of, from him healing her without realizing it to pregnancy and then the really long shot that the universe was really just paying him back. He had every scan he had ever done on her and had them lined up in front of him looking for a difference. He had run scans on her several times during their time together. He wanted to find if something in her cells had changed. He saw subtle changes but nothing that would result in her being able to heal. Still not finding one he headed to the console and took the Tardis back to earth.

He landed her right in the middle of Jack and Ianto's living room, and not bothering to grab his coat rushed off. "Jack," he called out.

"Doctor," Jack responded rubbing his eyes. He was wearing only a pair of pajama pants and had them sitting low on his hips as he stared at the Doctor "Some people sleep at night."

"I need your help." He said grabbing Jack's bare arm and dragging him onto the Tardis and to the medical bay. He put him in front of the scans. "I don't understand..." He started.

"I think they are medical scans." Jack said jokingly.

"I know that." He glared at Jack as he missed the joke. "I don't understand how she healed herself. Take a look." He sat down and stared intently at Jack as Jack looked over the scans. Finally, Jack turned to look at him.

"I don't know." Jack told him.

-DW-

He landed the Tardis on Koorharn and turned to look at Amelia. "Rule one don't wander off. Rule two if these two wander off continue to follow rule one." He explained to Amelia. He hoped for once he would get someone who understood the whole, "Don't wander off thing." He had been traveling time and space for awhile now and nobody he had picked up yet, seemed to understand his most basic rule. He saw Amelia look at Rose and they shared a mischievous look. "Rule three, if you do wander off try not to get in trouble. Rule four... Oi." He stopped as Rose helped Kiam into his coat. "You could pretend to pay attention."

"We could," Rose said handing Amelia a coat and heading to the door. "But where's the fun in that." She grabbed a pair of ice skates and stepped off the Tardis. The mineral lake glistened against the snow and he walked up to it and took out his sonic. He scanned the lake to make sure the ice was thick enough to skate on.

"Is it safe." Rose asked him as he checked the readouts.

"Yeah." He told her still looking at the screwdriver. He watched as she carefully stepped out on the ice holding Kiam's hand tightly. Amelia was holding on to the back of her coat following slowly after them.

He stood on the edge and scanned Rose, then checked the results. They still came back as normal. He shook his sonic screwdriver and then scanned her again. They still came back as normal.

"Come on Doctor," She called out as Kiam lost his balance and pulled the three of them down. He sat down and put his skates on. He skated out to them and helped Kiam and Amelia up. As he tried to pull Rose up, she pulled him down on top of her. He kissed her on the tip of her nose, before rolling off and standing himself up again. Carefully he tried to stand her up and she pulled him down again laughing. Finally on the third attempt she made it to her feet.

"Follow me." Taking Rose's hand in one hand and Amelia's in the other, Rose held Kiam's tightly, he led them across the lake slowly. Until they saw a small resort in the distance. As they got closer it revealed that the building was made completely out of ice.

"It's beautiful." Amelia said in awe.

"Welcome to the Ice Palace." He announced. They made it to the edge of the ice and took off their skates. He led them to the building and opened the door. Inside everything was made of ice as well. From the reception desk sitting in the corner to the couch in the waiting area. An ice fountain was the centerpiece of the room. Rose gasped as she moved towards it. Stretching high to the ceiling a phoenix like bird spread its wings, rising from ice flames. It's mouth open wide the water fell from the tips of the flames down into the fountain base below.

Leading them away from the fountain he took them back towards the dining room. The dining room had furniture made of ice and ice chanders lit the room.

"How do they keep the ice from melting?" Rose whispered.

"Oh just your basic manipulation of the water crystals..." She put a finger to his lips.

"That was rhetorical." She stated with a smile.

"Family of four." He told the waitress holding up the psychic paper. She nodded. "Follow me." and led them to a table. He pulled Rose's chair out and she sat down as the kids scrambled up on their chairs. He ordered hot chocolate and then looked at the menu.

"They have soup, won't that melt the ice?" Amelia asked him.

"No, the food isn't served in the ice, it is served in clear glass made to resemble the ice."

After dinner, he took them out back to the gardens, where Ice roses decorated the paths and trees draped with ice icicles stood pack from the paths. As night fell the icicle flashed various colors lighting up the garden and making the roses look as though they were dancing. Music played softly adding to the illusion that the garden had come to life. Rose gripped his hand tightly and he squeezed it back pulling her close to him. He looked at her face and saw the wonder and beauty as she watched the illusion. He felt tears in his eyes as the thought crossed his mind again that he had almost lost her and missed this. He looked down at Kiam who was leaning against Rose and though his eyes were filled with wonder, he was yawning.

"I think it's time we went home," He whispered in Rose's ear.

As they headed back to the Tardis Rose carried Kiam and he carried Amelia, both children were sound asleep. They took the longer, slower path around the outside of the lake, not daring to cross the ice. When they reached the Tardis he took Amelia to her room and laid her down on the bed and covered her before exiting her room and heading across the hall to where Rose was watching Kiam sleep.

"How about we extend the definition of one trip." He whispered to Rose.

"Are you sure?" She asked him curiously.

"I am. I was also thinking, we could add another one of our own." He said seductively as he picked her up and carried her to bed.


	68. The Return of Melody

_I am absolutely overwhelmed at the reaction this story has gotten. I want to thank everyone who has continued to read it, follow it or add reviews. I love reviews by the way so let me know what you think. _

* * *

The console phone was ringing again. "Aren't you going to answer it?" Rose asked him.

"Nope." He responded from where he was sitting on the pilot seat with a book open and a child on either side, cuddled up looking at the book. He was reading an old Gallifreyan story. He wanted Kiam to know his heritage, even though he would never get to experience it. Over the top of the book he saw Rose reach for the phone. "Don't.." He started to say but then realized it was too late.

"Hello?" A slight pause. "Oh, hi Donna. Yeah he is right here. Just a second." She held the phone out to him. He took it as he glared at her.

"Donna!" He exclaimed with fake happiness.

"You have been ignoring my calls spaceman." She yelled at him. "You said you would find her and it has been a month now and I have heard nothing."

"Right, been busy looking." He lied rubbing his neck with one hand. He looked up at Rose again angry and she glared right back at him. "It's your own fault," she mouthed.

"You will find her, won't you." Donna asked him, her voice going from yelling to sounding as though she were about to cry.

"Yes."

"Thank you." And she hung up the phone before he could respond.

-DW-

He sighed as he looked at the newspaper in his hands. They had stopped off for a bite to eat and he had seen an article about mysterious crop circles outside of London. Interested he had picked the newspaper up to find that the "crop circles" spelled out the word Doctor.

"Look at this Rose." He said and held up the newspaper to her.

"I think somebody wants your attention." She giggled. "I am sure if you keep ignoring her she will find more creative ways to get it."

"Let's go and find out what she wants." He took them back to the Tardis and then landed it in the middle of the O in the field. Leaving the others inside he stepped out of the Tardis holding the newspaper up to where Donna could see it as she got out of the car.

"Seriously?" He asked her using his other hand to point at the picture on the main page.

"Well, you never answer your phone." She told him as wrapped him in a hug. Pulling back she looked him in the eyes. "Okay, you've had all summer. Have you found her? Have you found Melody?"

"I know who she grows up to be, so you know I will find her." He tells her softly rubbing her back.

"But you haven't yet." She broke away from him as he didn't answer her not wanting to lie to her again. She looked at the newspaper he was holding. "Hang on. What's this bit?" She indicated a line that went through the middle of the words stopping at the o.

She looked up at him. "That wasn't me." She says as they hear another car approaching fast. He grabs Donna and pulls her out of the way, falling onto the ground as the car stops dangerously close to them.

"You said he was your best friend. You never said he was hot." A young girl says getting out of the car. He immediately senses the Time Lord part of her and realizes who she is before Donna yells at her.

"Melody. What are you doing here?" She scolded her.

"Following you. What do you think?" Melody responded.

"Where did you get the car?" Donna asked. He stood up as he heard police sirens approaching. Rose poked her head out of the Tardis.

"Everything okay?" She asked him looking at the scene in front of her.

"Fine," He responded stepping away from her and towards Donna. "Wait inside." He told her and was shocked when she listened.

"You can't keep doing this. You're going to end up in prison." Donna was yelling at Melody.

"Sorry. Hello." He interrupted their conversation.

"Is that the phone box? The bigger on the inside phone box? Oh, time travel." Melody said excitedly. "That's just brilliant. I've heard a lot about you."

"You're Donna's cousin, right?" he put emphasis on the word cousin to let her know he knew differently.

"Right," She said as the sirens were getting closer. "And that's me out of time." He watched a Melody reached into her bag and pulled a gun out. She pointed it at him and he put his hands up.

"I hate guns." He told her.

"For God's sake!" Donna yelled. "Melody, what are you doing?"

"I need out of here, now." Melody responded calmly.

"I'm not taking you on my Tardis with that." He said.

She released the safety on the gun as she continued to point it at him. He sighed. He didn't want to regenerate but he wouldn't put his family at risk, so he stood his ground.

"Put the gun down and I will take you anywhere you want to go." He said his voice deathly calm but his eyes full of anger. She hesitated for a moment before she put the safety back on and returned the gun to her purse.

He lowered his hands. "Where do you want to go?"

"Well, let's see. You've got a time machine, I've got a gun. What the hell. Let's kill Hitler." She walked around him and onto the Tardis.

He turned to look at Donna. "Great first trip out and she wants to change history. Does it run in the Family?" He asked her and she punched him in the arm before following after Melody. He shook his head as he stepped on and closed the doors behind him.


	69. Let's Kill Hitler Part 1

As he entered the Tardis he saw Donna facing him and hugging Amelia tightly. "It was you." She said quietly as he came on board.

"It was me what." He asked her confused.

"You're the one who took Amelia." Donna began. "In 1999, her Aunt Faith, was taking care of her seven year old niece Amelia. She had gone out for awhile and when she came back, Amelia was gone and she hasn't been seen since. The police were called and no evidence was ever found in her disappearance."

"I plan on taking her back, we just keep getting delayed." He said walking over to the console.

"I asked her," Rose said confused. "She didn't know anyone named Melody."

"She wouldn't," Donna said looking at her cousin. "When her parents disappeared she went to live with her aunt on her father's side. Her dad was my uncle and he had been estranged from the family for years before that. We only ever received pictures of her. But once she disappeared the whole family was questioned."

"I am sorry. I'll take her back." He said. Melody who was sitting on the pilot seat had grown impatient. "I thought we were going to go kill Hitler." She withdrew the gun again and pointed it at him. He narrowed his eyes at her. Rose grabbed Kiam and took Amelia from Donna and moved back against the wall of the Tardis putting her body in front of them.

He turned to the console and started pressing buttons and moving levers. He sent the Tardis into the time vortex and then looked at Melody again. "You can lower that now."

"I think I will keep it out until we land." Melody replied. Donna opened her mouth to speak but he raised his hand to stop her.

"It won't work anyways. The Tardis is in a state of Temporal Grace. Guns don't work in here." He lied.

"Really," Melody sounded amazed and he watched as her finger pulled on the trigger. The bullet barely missed him as it hit the main Tardis console. The Tardis began to shake wildly, but strangely he felt calm as he let the anger wash over him and became the reason the Daleks called him the On Coming Storm. He looked to where Donna was holding on to the railing tightly and then to where Rose was trying to keep the kids from being thrown.

"You shot my Tardis!" He said his voice extremely calm but his actions quick as he tried to get the Tardis under control. "You shot the console!"

"It's your fault!" Melody yelled at him.

"How's it my fault?" He asked her as he briefly thought of throwing her out into the time vortex. But he couldn't do that to Donna, he wouldn't take her child from her again, regardless of whether or not she knew it.

"You said guns didn't work in this place. You said we're in a state of temporal grace."

"That was a clever lie!" He hissed through his teeth. "Anyone could tell that was a clever lie." He tried to control the Tardis as she came out of the time vortex earlier and started spinning towards the ground. "We're crashing" He called out. He felt the Tardis shaking as crashed through a window and then hit several things before finally coming to a stop.

"Out, out, out! Everybody out. Don't breathe the smoke, just get out!" He called to everyone and made sure they were out before stepping off the Tardis himself. "Fans on" He called out before closing the doors behind him.

"Where are we," Amelia asked him.

"A room," He replied looking around. The room they were in was an office of some kind and the Tardis had landed right beside a desk. Other than that he had wasn't sure.

"What room?" Donna wondered.

"I don't know what room." He snapped, still angry. Rose reached over and gently started rubbing his back. He placed his hand on his forehead and took a breath. Removing his hand he replied in a calmer voice. "I haven't memorised every room in the universe yet. I had yesterday off. Melody, don't go in there." He finished as he noticed Melody trying to open the Tardis door.

He reached over and took the gun out of her hand. "Oi" She told him.

"There is bad, deadly smoke inside because somebody shot my Tardis!" He said his voice rising again with every word.

"Doctor. This guy, I think he's hurt." He looked over towards Donna at her words and noticed a man laying on the ground. As he looked over he noticed the man's eyes open. "No, hang on. No, he's fine."

He places the gun in a bowl of fruit on the desk. He hears a groan from behind the desk. Hello. Sorry, is this your office? Had a sort of collision with my vehicle. Faults on both sides, let's say no more about." Realizing who he is rambling too his voice changes. "it."

"Is that? No, it can't be, Doctor?" Rose says coming up behind him.

"Thank you, whoever you are. I think you have just saved my life." Hitler told them standing up.

"Believe me, it was an accident." He said coldly.

"What is this thing?"

"What did he mean, we saved his life? We could not have just saved Hitler." Rose said grabbing Kiam and Amelia's hands and dragging them back towards the Tardis.

"You see? You see? Time travel, it never goes to plan." He watched Rose briefly, keeping one eye on Hitler and then realizing she wasn't trying to go in the Tardis, he turned his full attention back to Hitler.

"This box. What is it?" Hitler demanded to know.

"It's a police telephone box from London, England. That's right, Adolf. The British are coming."

"No, stop him!" Hitler suddenly yells pulling out a fire arm. He ducks down out of the way as he hears a gun shot fill the room. He looked quickly to Rose and saw that while her and the children were scared they were fine. He stood up.

"I hate guns." He proclaimed looking around the room. He notices Donna storm over to Hitler and punch him before grabbing the gun and pointing it at Hitler.

"Sit still, shut up." She told him.

He went over to the man laying on the ground. "Are you okay?" He asked him kindly.

"Yes, yes. Yes, I'm fine. I think he missed." The man replied quickly.

"He was going to kill me." Hitler whined.

"Shut up, Hitler!" Donna yelled at him.

"Donna, take Hitler and put him in that cupboard over there. Now do it." He added as she gave him a look as though he were crazy.

"Right. Putting Hitler in the cupboard." She said aloud and as she grabbed his arm with a repulsed look and headed to the cupboard, he heard her saying softly to herself. Cupboard, Hitler. Hitler, cupboard."

"But I am the Fuhrer!" Hitler protested loudly.

"Right, in you go!" Donna said opening the door and shoving him inside.

"Who are you?" Hitler asked and she slammed the door.

"Are you okay?" He asked turning back to the man as he helped him to his feet.

"Oh, I..." The man replied as his eyes rolled back and he collapsed again to the ground.

"I think he just fainted." Donna said coming over.

"Yes, that was a faint. A perfect faint." He says suspiciously. "Melody," he heard Donna say.

"Hitler."

"What about him?" He asked as he looked at Melody who was clutching at her side.

"Lousy shot." She fell to the ground. Donna raced over and was immediately down on the ground at her side. He rushed over and knelt down pulling out the sonic and scanning her.

"Melody." Donna cried out. "Doctor you've got to stop the bleeding."

Rose came up behind them. "How bad is it? Doctor, what can we do?"

"Just keep her conscious. Stay with us, Melody." He said as he looked at the scan and realized that she wasn't going to make it but was going to regenerate. He turned to look at Donna as he tried to figure out how he was going to explain it to her.


	70. Let's Kill Hitler Part 2

"Hey, look at me. Just hold on." He said softly to Melody trying to make her as comfortable as possible.

"I used to dream about you." Melody told him, "That amazing box that is bigger on the inside. It hasn't changed. Neither have you."

"Doctor, What is she talking about?" Donna asked him. "She's been on the Tardis before?"

"Once when I was a toddler." She answered as her hands began to glow. He stood up quickly and grabbed Donna and Rose away. "Stay back," He called to everyone in the room.

"What the hell's going on?' Donna asked him furiously.

"Last time I did this, I ended up a toddler in the middle of New York." Melody explained as she stood up, her whole body glowing now.

"She's regenerating." Rose said amazed.

"Wait a minute, Melody is my daughter." Donna sounded confused now. "I named my daughter after my daughter."

"Yeah, pretty much," He responded and flinched as she slugged him in the arm.

"And you knew."

"I had no choice. I had to hide her from the Master." He tried to explain and was rewarded with being punched again.

"I'm so glad he did. And you see? It all worked out in the end, didn't it. You got to raise me after all." Melody told Donna and with that she exploded into a golden light. As she is regenerating he moves to the chair behind her and takes the bullets out of the gun and puts the gun back on the chair. He moves back to where he was standing between Donna and Rose and when Rose looks at him, he shakes his head. When the light faded a familiar face with curly hair stood in front of them. Donna fell against him and he looked at her to see if she had fainted. Her eyes were still open but she was in shock.

"Right, let's see, then." He watched as Melody examined her new body. He knew the feeling, the excitement as well as being scared and having to make sure everything turned out right. "The hair! Oh, the hair. It just doesn't stop, does it? Look at that." She ran across the room to look in a mirror above the fireplace. "Everything changes. Oh, but I love it. I love it! I'm all sort of mature." She stands next to the sofa and puts her leg up on it.

"Hello, Benjamin." She tells them.

"Who's Benjamin?" He asks looking at Donna and she just shrugs. As she examines herself in the mirror he casually turns the bowl of fruit behind him so that there is a banana facing them and the gun is in the back of the bowl.

"The teeth. Oh, look at them." Melody runs over to him and pins him against the desk with herself between his legs. He quickly grabs Rose's arm as he feels the anger flood off of her.

"Watch out for that tie." She bites at him and then pulls herself away and runs across the room. "Excuse me, you lot. I need to weigh myself." She tells them as she runs out of the room.

"My Melody, is River Song," Donna says weakly.

"Who's River Song?" Melody asks sticking her head back around the corner.

"Spoilers.' He says repeating the word she used on him back in the library.

"Spoilers? What's spoilers?" She starts to come closer but then turns and runs out of the room again. "Hang on, just something I have to check."

"Is anybody else finding today just a bit difficult?" Donna asks them quietly. "I'm getting a sort of banging in my head."

"Yeah, I think that's Hitler in the cupboard." Rose tells her and turns to look at him. "So how quickly can she regenerate again?"

"That's not helping." He says to Rose, "This isn't the River Song we know yet. This is her right at the start. Doesn't even know her own name."

"Oh, that's magnificent!" River calls to them from the over room. "I'm  
going to wear lots of jumpers."

"Daddy," Kiam says quietly from where he and Amelia were still crouched over by the Tardis.

"It'll be okay, just stay there," He tells them and smiles as he sees Amelia pulls Kiam into a small hug.

"Well, now, enough of all that. Down to business." Melody say and points a gun at him.

"Oh, hello." He says casually. "I thought we were going to be friends."

"I told you I don't have friends." Melody answered him.

"Doctor, what's she doing?" Donna asks him.

"What she's programmed to." He says calmly enough as he realizes he got to her too late to stop whatever the Master had asked her to do.

"Where'd she get the gun?" Rose inquires.

"Hello, Benjamin." He answers.

"You noticed." She sounds pleased as she tries to fire the gun and it clicks the sound of the chambers being empty.

"Of course I noticed." He says and holds out a handful of bullets before placing them back into his pocket. "As soon as I knew you were coming, I tidied up a bit."

"I know you did." She says as he stands up, from leaning on the desk and heads towards her.

"I know you know." He says with a smile as she reaches into her pocket and pulls out a banana and points it at him.

"Goodness, is killing you going to take all day?" She huffs.

"Why? Are you busy?" He laughs.

"Oh, I'm not complaining." She says reaching over and grabbing a letter opener. He pulls out his sonic and zaps it out of her hand.

"If you were in a hurry, you could've killed me in the cornfield."

"We'd only just been reunited. I'm a psychopath. I'm not rude."

"You are not a psychopath." Donna says in her defense. "Why would she be a psychopath?"

"Oh, Mummy, Mummy, pay attention." River says sounding irritated that Donna wasn't keeping up. "I was trained and conditioned for one purpose. I was born to kill the Doctor."

"Demons Run, remember?" He says eying Donna. "This is what he was really doing. A child like him."

"I'm all yours, sweetie." She says stepping right up to him and kisses him lightly on the lips. He hears Rose growl in anger.

"Only River Song gets to call me that." He tells Melody and then raises an eyebrow at Rose amused. "Did you just growl?" He teases as her face turns red.

"And who's River Song?" Melody asks him.

"An old friend of mine."

"Stupid name." She tells him as she heads to the window and looks out of it." Oh, look at that. Berlin on the eve of war. A whole world about to tear itself apart. Now that's my kind of town. Mum, don't follow me. And, yes, that is a warning." She climbs up on the window seal and prepares to jump out of the window.

"No warning for me then?"

"No need, my love. The deed is done and so are you." She says as he starts to take a step forward and staggers almost falling to the ground.

"Doctor, what's wrong?" Rose asks him rushing over to grab him.

"What have you done? River!" He yells at her not even thinking.

"Oh, River, River, River. More than a friend, I think." She remarks.

"What have you done?" He tries again.

"It was never going to be a gun for you, Doctor. The man of peace who understands every kind of warfare, except, perhaps, the cruellest. Kiss, kiss." She says cruelly as she jumps out of the window and disappears.

"What's wrong with you? What's she done to you?" Rose asks him her voice full of concern.

"Poisoned me. But I'm fine." He says and tries to stand up and the pain nearly overwhelms him. "Well, no, I'm dying, but I've got a plan." He stumbles back towards the desk for support.

"What plan?"

"Not dying. See? Fine."

"Okay, what do we do? How do we help you?" Donna asks him as she helps him lean against the desk and he catches his breath.

"Take this." He hands the sonic to Rose. "The Tardis can home in on it. Now, go. Get after her." He tells them and watches Donna head to the window and look out.

"I'm not leaving you." She says as tears fill her eyes.

"Rose, you have to." He says and squeezes her hand. "I'll be okay." He stands up again and starts to head to the Tardis.

"You said the smoke was deadly." Rose tells him as she heads to the window with Donna.

"No, no, the smoke's fine, it will have cleared out by now, besides the poison will kill me first." He opens the doors to the Tardis. "Now, get after River!"

"I don't understand, okay? One minute she's fine and then she's going to kill you." Donna asks him.

"Ah, well, she's been brainwashed. It all makes sense to her. Plus, she is a woman." He watches them exchange glances with each other. "Oh, shut up. I'm dying." He says. He waits for them to disappear out the window before turning to the children. "Come on get inside." He tells them and then follows them aboard.


	71. Let's Kill Hitler Part 3

Once aboard the Tardis he sent the children away to play. Once they were out of sight he could no longer hold himself up and fell hard onto his knees on the Tardis floor.

"I'm shutting down. I need an interface. Voice interface. Come on, emergency."

"Voice interface enabled." A hologram of himself appeared in front of him.

"No. Give me someone I like." He whined at it and a hologram of Rose appeared in front of him. "Oh Rose." He sighed and pulled himself into a sitting position.

"I am not Rose Tyler. I am a voice interface." The hologram told him.

"What has she done to me?"

"Your system has been contaminated by the poison of the Judas tree. You will be dead in thirty two minutes."

"Okay. So, basically better regenerate, that's what you're saying." He asked the interface. He didn't like the option but it was better than being dead.

"Regeneration disabled. You will be dead in thirty two minutes." The interface stated factually to him.

"Unless I'm cured." He said hopefully.

"There is no cure. You will be dead in thirty two minutes."

"Rose needs me. Kiam and Amelia are still so young and only just beginning. I can't die now." He pleaded with the interface. He found himself wishing it was really Rose and that he hadn't sent her away with Donna.

"You will not die now. You will die in thirty two minutes."

"I'm going out in the first round. Ringing any bells? Argh! Okay, need something for the pain now." As his mind clouded with the pain he focused on Rose. "Come on, Rose. It's me. Please." He begged her.

"I am not Rose Tyler. I am a voice interface."

"Rose, listen to me. I can be brave for you, but you have got to tell me how."

"I am not Rose Tyler. I am a voice interface."

He fell down to his side and laid there feeling defeated. "Rose, Rose please." He begged her as tears filled his eyes and began to fall down his cheeks.

"Bad Wolf."

He looked up at Rose and she stood there staring straight ahead. "Bad Wolf." He asked it and the interface did not respond. "Bad Wolf, oh my Rose Tyler, Bad Wolf." He crawled up to his knees and pulled himself up on the console. Stumbling he headed down the hallway and to the living area.

"Are you okay." Amelia asked him from where her and Kiam were sitting at a table coloring.

"I'm fine," He said as he stumbled in and then kissed them both on the heads. "You two just need to stay here for a little longer." He left the room and this time headed to the wardrobe. He went inside it and found a black tuxedo and top hat. If he was going to die, he might as well be dressed for the occasion. He changed and grabbed a cane to help him walk and headed back to the control room. Once there he turned the Tardis to silent and traced his sonic. He landed the Tardis and stepped out into a little resturant. He was up on a slightly raised part of the dining area. He could hear Donna and Melody talking as he leaned up against the Tardis.

"You killed the Doctor on the orders of the movement known as the Silence and a Time Lord known as the Master." Donna was saying, "You accept and know this to be true?"

"Quite honestly, I don't really remember. It was all a bit of jumble." Melody answered her and he watched as Donna opened her mouth and a bright beam shot out and hit Melody. "No! No! Get off me!" Melody cried out.

"Sorry, did you say she killed the Doctor?" He said stepping out to reveal himself. "Doctor who?"

"You're dying and you stopped to change?" Melody asked him looking at him like he was insane.

"You should always waste time when you don't have any. Time is not the boss of you." He told Melody. He walked down the short set of stairs and across the dining room to where they were standing. He lifted his cane and scanned Donna. "Donna Noble judgment death machine. Why am I not surprised?"

"Are you serious?"

"Never knowingly. Never knowingly be serious." He laughed as he continued to scan Donna. "It's a robot with four hundred and twenty three life signs inside. A robot worked by tiny people. Love it. But how do you all get in there, though." He asked confused and leaned into look closer at it, before looking at the results from the sonic cane. "Bigger on the inside? No, basic miniaturisation sustained by a Compression field. Rose, if you and Donna are okay, signal me."

The cane lit up as the sonic screwdriver sent a signal. He smiled. "Thank you." He said relieved to know she was still alive. He leg was quickly becoming numb so he turned and started to head towards the low stairs nearby as his leg gave out. He stumbled and tried to play it off.

"Leg went to sleep. Just had a quick left leg power nap. I forgot I had one scheduled. Actually, better sit down. I think I heard the right one yawning." He fell hard down on the stairs. Melody taking the opportunity of everyone being distracted tried to run towards the door. She was almost there when a beam of light shot out from Donna again trapping her this time.

"Don't you touch her! Do not harm her in any way!" He angrily told the robot.

"Why would you care? She's the woman who kills you." Donna asked him.

"I'm not dead." He stated, leaning back on the stairs and trying to look like he was fine.

"You're dying."

"Well, at least I'm not a time travelling shape shifting robot operated by miniaturised cross people, which, I have got to admit, I didn't see coming." If it had been another situation he might have even been interested but at the moment his mind was beginning to fail him due to the poison. "What do you want with her?" He asked them.

"She's Melody Pond." Donna answered. "According to records, the woman who kills the Doctor."

"And I'm the Doctor. So what's it to you?"

"Throughout history, many criminals have gone unpunished in their lifetimes. Time travel has responsibilities."

"What?" He asked it confused. "You got yourselves time travel, so you decided to punish dead people?"

"We don't kill them. We extract them near the end of their established timelines."

"And then what?"

"Give them hell."

He decided right then and there he really didn't like them. "I'd ask you who you think you are But I think the answer is pretty obvious." He stated and tried to stand up again but his legs were completely numb so giving up he sat forward. "Who do you think I am? You think I am just going to allow this. You say she is the woman who killed the Doctor but here I am." He paused as images of him standing by a lake rushed to his mind. "It sounds like you've got my biography in there. I'd love a peek."

"Our records office is sealed to the public. Foreknowledge is dangerous." Donna told him.

"Yeah, well, I'll be dead in three minutes. There isn't much foreknowledge left." He replied still hopeful that they would at least tell him something.

"Sorry, can't do that." Donna went quiet for a moment and then her tone changed as she spoke again. "Records available."

"I'm dying. Besides the Master, who wants me dead?" He asked.

"The Silence."

"Why do the Silence want me dead? They are a religious movement."

"Their core belief is that silence will fall when the question is asked."

"What question?" He asked curious.

"The first question. The oldest question in the universe, hidden in plain sight."

"Yes, but what is the question?"

"Unknown." Donna asked.

"Call yourself Records," He scoffed at it as pain shot through his body. "Ahh," He cried out in pain. "Kidneys are always the first to quit." He saw the beam holding Melody turn from white to Red and Melody cried out in pain.

"Rose, Donna," He asked Donna. "Can you hear me?"

"Oh my love what do we do?" Donna asked him. "This is Rose, this is actually me Rose, talking. What do we do?"

"Just stop them. She's your daughter, Donna. Just stop them."

"How?"

"Just do it!" He begged them as his mind failed him. He watched horrified as Melody screamed in pain and the red light lifted her off of the ground. The light suddenly fails and as she is released she falls hard to the ground. She stand up and he sees the fear in her eyes.

"Please. Now we have to save your mum and Rose. Don't run. Now, I know you're scared, but never run when you're scared." He begged her.

"Doctor, help us! Doctor, please!" Donna begged him. Seeing that Melody wasn't moving he turned and tried to crawl towards the Tardis desperate to save Rose.

"Doctor! Help!"

"Look at you. You still care." He heard Melody say in awe behind him.  
"It's impressive, I'll give you that."

"River, please." He begged her.

"Again? Who is this River? She's got to be a woman. Am I right?" She huffed at him.

"Help me. Save Rose and Donna. Help me."

"Tell me about her. Go on." Melody said coming closer.

"Just help me." He pleaded and he watched in relief as she ran aboard the Tardis and closed the doors. He laid there as the Tardis dematerialized in front of him and then rolled onto his back, he tried to catch his breath but his lungs burned and his hearts were growing weaker. The left one failed as he heard the Tardis doors open again and Rose rushed to him.

"You can't die now. I know you don't die now." She cried as she gathered his head in her hands and kissed his head.

"Oh, Rose, you've got a schedule for everything." He said weakly.

"But it doesn't make any sense."

"Doctor, what do we do?" Donna asked him softly leaning down and taking his hand. "Come on. How do we help you?"

"Sorry, Donna, you can't. Nobody can." He gently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. Now, listen to me. I need to talk to your daughter." Donna stood up and gently wrapped her arms around Rose and pulled her away from him. Melody approached him and stood over him.

"Find her. Find River Song and tell her something from me." He told her his voice barely above a whisper.

"Tell her what?" She asked him curiously and leaned down close to him so that she could hear him clearly.

"You are forgiven. Always and completely forgiven." He tells her as the darkness overtakes him and he closes his eyes. He opens his eyes again as he feels himself being pulled back. He sees River leaning over him and she is glowing with the regenerative energy.

"River. No. What are you doing?" He asks her as he feels it pouring into him, bringing his body back to life.

"Hello, sweetie." She says softly and kisses him before falling down on top of him.

"Melody," Donna cries out and rushes over to her. "Is she dead." she asks him, fearfully.

"No," He replied as she helps him move Melody off of him. "She just passed out from using too many regenerations at once. It has made her weak." He lifts up his arms to Rose and she grabs him tightly in a hug.

"I thought I lost you."

"You did for a minute," He told her and gently rubbed her hair. "But I'm fine. I promise you. I'm fine."

"We need to get her help," He tells Donna and he stands up as his strength comes back to him. He helps Donna get Melody into the Tardis and then sets it to go a hospital while he goes and changes back into his brown suit.

-DW-

They drop Melody off at the hospital and he sends the Tardis back into the time vortex.

"So that's it, we just leave her there?" Donna asks him appalled.

"Sisters of the Infinite Schism. Greatest hospital in the universe." He tells her.

"Yes, but she's my daughter. Doctor, she's River and she's my daughter." She falls hard onto the pilot seat and he sits down beside her and gathers her into a hug.

"Donna, I know. But we have to let her make her own way now. We have too much foreknowledge." He rubs her back gently and then releases her and stands up to look at the screen again. He had downloaded all the information off the robot before they had left the restaurant. He had his biography pulled up in front of him and was reading the information on his death at Lake Silencio.

"What's that?" Rose asks him coming into the room with the children.

"Nothing." He lies turning off the screen in front of him and turning around to face her. "Just some data I downloaded from the Teselecta. Very boring."

"Doctor, River was brainwashed to kill you, right?" Rose asks him.

"Well, she did kill me, and then she used her remaining lives to bring me back. I'd say that was mixed signals."

"But that stuff that they put in her head, is that gone now? The River that we know in the future, she is in prison for murder." Rose says.

"Whose murder?" Donna asks him. "My daugher is a murderer?"

"Will we see her again?" Rose wonders.

"Oh, she'll come looking for us." He says simply. "Now I am starving, dying makes a person very hungry. What do you say we stop off for some chips."


	72. The Departure of Amelia

_Last chapter for today. A little teaser on what is to come. I appreciate the continued reviews. _

* * *

He dropped Donna back off at home with the promise that he would keep in touch. He also promised that he would drop Amelia off back in her right time period. He shut the Tardis doors behind Donna and turned to look at Rose. She was standing happily by the console while the children sat in the pilot seat waiting for him. He looked sadly at Amelia for a moment. One more trip, he decided, and then he would tell them.

-DW-

He opened the doors to reveal a city in front of them. The builds were all one story and made of stone and the people looked almost human, except for the fact they were about nine feet tall with long faces and bright red hair.

"I'm guessing this isn't Barcelona" Rose huffed at him.

"No, it's even better," He exclaimed happily.

"How is this better," Amelia asked, slightly disappointed that she wasn't going to see a dog with no nose.

"No like," Kiam input.

"Hey, we can explore here and then next time I promise Barcelona." He leaned over to look at a shop table. "Maybe," he added as an afterthought.

"So where are we," Rose asked him, coming up and taking his arm.

"I don't know, it's brilliant though, isn't it." He smiled at her. "Kiam, Amelia, come look at this," He called. Kiam came over and stood next to him, but he didn't see Amelia.

"Amelia," He called out again and looked up from the table, but she wasn't in sight.

"Amelia," He called again.

"Where is she," Rose asked him starting to panic. "She was just here."

"Stay by the Tardis," He told Rose, "I will find her." He took off back in the direction that he had last seen her. "Amelia," He called out again and again.

Finally he spotted her a little ways away. She was heading down an alleyway between two of the homes. He made his way through the crowd not caring who he bumped into and hurried over to the alley. As he neared it fear flooded over him as he saw that it ended in a dead end. But that's not what scared him, what scared him, was the w shaped crack in the wall flooding light into the alley.

"The crack in my bedroom wall," Amelia said softly. "How can it be here?" She walked closer to it reaching out her hand as she approached it.

"Amelia stay away from there," He cried out as she wandered closer to the crack. The light was beginning to overtake her and she acted like she couldn't hear him. He ran as fast as he could to her but as he reached her she faded from his sight.

"Amelia," He screamed and pulled out his sonic and scanned the crack. He read the results in disbelief and then scanned the crack again.

"Where did she go?" Rose asked in tears catching up him holding Kiam's hand tightly.

"Stay back," He called out to her. He scanned the crack one last time and then headed back to Rose and gathered her in a tight hug.

"Meila?" Kiam asked him looking at the light.

He let go of Rose and leaned over to pick up Kiam. "We can save her." He told Rose.

"Where is she?"

"Pete's World."


	73. Return to Pete's World

"How did the cracks get opened again. I thought you closed them," Rose asked him.

He was laying on his stomach leaning down in to controls, looking for a single power cell he could take out, that wouldn't affect the Tardis. He had no idea how long it was going to take to find Amelia and this time he didn't want to be caught unaware with no power and no way back to their universe.

"I don't know Rose. The Master may have reopened them. I haven't been able to track what he has been doing since Demon's Run." He responded.

"Can I see my mum?"

"Gotcha," He cried out as he pulled one of the power cells free and then sat up. "We can see Jackie and Pete."

He stood up and wrapped her in a hug as tears began to flow down her cheeks. "Or not Pete," He said playfully and she smacked him on the chest before pulling him into a kiss.

"I've missed her so much," she cried.

"I know."

"Maybe we could convince them to come back. Jack could give dad a job working at Torchwood."

He released his hug and headed over to the console and started to set the coordinates to Martha's home. "Kiam, come pull the lever," He called out and the little boy rushed in.

"Hold up," He said and grabbed him by the back of the shirt. "You're all sticky. You can't touch the console if you're sticky." He looked at his hands and face which were covered in ice cream. "Go wash." He told him.

"Wanna pull lever," Kiam whined.

"You can once you are clean, now go," He said and pointed towards the corridors. Kiam looked up at him with a defiant look that made Rose chuckle. She had seen the look too many times from his father. She walked over and took a clean part of his arm.

"Come on, I will help you clean up and then you can send us on our way." She said as she led him out of the room.

-DW-

"So why Martha?" Rose asked him as she headed to the door to invite Martha onboard.

"I need Mickey, but don't ever tell him that." He replied. "I don't know how long it is going to take to find Amelia but the quicker we do the better. The Tardis can't survive in that universe."

Rose exited the Tardis and came back a few minutes later with Martha and Mickey in tow.

"Doctor," Martha exclaimed happily and ran over to give him a hug. Mickey followed silently behind her. He still hadn't forgiven the Doctor for leaving them on Demon's Run and then getting Rose shot.

"Boss," Mickey said quietly.

"Mickey!" He exclaimed happily.

"Rose said you need our help?" Martha inquired.

"I need help finding a little girl who was traveling with us named Amelia. She is lost in Pete's world."

"You lost Amelia?" Martha sounded annoyed. "You were suppose to take her home."

"How do you know that?" He asked her confused.

"Donna and I talk all the time. We kept in touch after Atmos and then while her memory is gone I got updates from her mom and Wilf."

"You excited to be going back," Mickey asked Rose.

She nodded. "I can't wait to see everyone again."

"Can you imagine what it would be like if you had stayed there." Martha asked her.

"This one probably would have got himself regenerated." Mickey laughed.

"I can see it he would be lanky and probably wear a bow tie." Rose laughed.

"Oi," He said annoyed. "Can we focus on the serious task at hand."

The laughter died quickly though they all had smirks still. "And a fez" Martha said and they all fell into fits of laughter again.

"As I was saying," He said loudly over the laughter. "We need to find her quickly and bring her back. Any questions."

"I bet he will dress like my granddad." Rose said gasping for air.

"Or my granny," Mickey added as they dissolved in laughter again.

He looked to where Kiam was sitting on the pilot seat watching them. He was laughing just as hard as the rest. He walked around the console setting the coordinates to Pete's World. He gave them one last look as he pulled the lever roughly and let the Tardis toss them to the ground.

-DW-

The Tardis landed on Dårlig Ulv Stranden. Before exiting the Tardis he powered her down to minimum settings and made sure that the power cell he pulled out was still receiving power. pulled out a small case and put it inside. The case would alert him if the power cell was going out.

"Bad Wolf Bay," Rose said as she exited the Tardis. "You brought us here of all places. You tried to leave me here and if Donna hadn't opened the door again, you would have succeeded."

"Rose, I am sorry but this is where the crack come out at. I would much rather have been in London or at Pete's house."

"This is a parallel world?" Martha asked as she stepped out with Mickey. "It doesn't look any different."

"Not here at least," Mickey told her. "You should see London though."

He watched Kiam run off and into the sand before closing the Tardis door tightly and sonicing the lock. He didn't want to take any chances of the Master being in this world and stealing the Tardis.

"Rose, call Pete and see if he can come get us." He told her.

She pulled out her phone and stepped aside to make the call. "So how did she get here?" Martha asked him stepping closer.

"A crack in the walls of time. Should be impossible to be her but somehow the crack was opened again."

"But if this is where you left Rose, does that mean the Metacrisis is here somewhere too?"

"Yep," He replied looking away from her.

Rose came rushing back over. "He is sending a dirigible to pick us up. It should be here soon." She told them excitedly.

-DW-

A balloon ride and a short car ride later and they were standing in front of the Tyler Mansion. Rose ran excitedly up the steps and knocked on the door.

"If you are trying to sell me something again, you better just leave now, cause if I open this door and you are still there, you will be sorry," Jackie yelled from inside. A short time later the door was flung open.

"Rose," Jackie said sounding confused.

"Mum," Rose replied not able to hold back her tears as she flung herself into her mum's arms.

"Told you I'd always bring her home."

* * *

_Side note:_

_I love Eleven I just couldn't resist picking on him._


	74. Pete's world

Jackie let go of Rose and grabbed him. She kissed him on the mouth several times before slapping him.

"Ow," He complained rubbing his cheek. "What was that for?"

"That was for bringing her back and the slap was for trying to leave her here. Now where is my Grandson?" She asked looking around. He looked down and Kiam peeked out from behind his legs where he had taken refuge when the door opened.

"Since when are you shy?" He asked him chuckling slightly before leaning down and pulling him in front of him. "Kiam say hello to your grandma Jackie." Kiam responded quickly by burying his face in his hands and attempting to hide again.

"You scare him," Mickey said. Jackie squealed with happiness and rushed down the stairs to hug Mickey.

"So Doctor, what brings you to our universe?" Pete asked coming out of the house. He wrapped Rose in a hug and then the Doctor.

"I'm looking for a little girl named Amelia. She was pulled to this universe through a crack in time. I don't know how long she has been here though."

"She's only been here a few hours." Rose stated picking up Kiam who immediately hid his face again.

He shook his head. "I don't think so. If that was the case she would have been on the beach still or near enough to it she could hear the Tardis engines."

"But we came through in the correct time."

"That is because I have the Tardis and could control it." He reminded her.

"No use standing outside arguing." Jackie finally interrupted them. "Come in and get settled."

-DW-

The afternoon had passed quickly with everyone getting caught up and then Pete and Mickey disappearing to go and see if they could track Amelia. He was sitting on the couch watching Kiam play with Tony, Rose's little brother, while Martha, Rose and Jackie had gone into the kitchen to make dinner.

He couldn't help but notice that even though Tony was younger he was a lot more talkative then Kiam and his pronunciation of words was also clearer. He had denied time and time again there was something wrong with Kiam but Amelia and Tony were now starting to make him see differently.

He heard the front door open and looked behind him to see the Metacrisis storming across the room, a look of rage upon his face. He stood up and went around the couch to face him.

"You Bastard." The metacrisis said through clenched teeth before punching him in the stomach.

"Daddy," Kiam cried out running towards him.

"Stay back Kiam," He gasped. "Daddy's okay." He looked up and saw the look of rage turn to one of sorrow as he stared at the little boy.

"John," Jackie said coming out of the kitchen and taking in the scene in front of her. "That is no way to behave in my house. Now you apologize."

"Sorry," John mumbled.

"That's better. Now you two behave and talk like adults. If you are going to fight you can leave." She scolded them before going into the kitchen again.

"You lied to me. You said that they were going to stay here." John said angrily.

"I tried to leave them here, Donna let them back on the Tardis." He explained. "By the time I realized Rose was on board it was too late to take her back again."

"How is Donna?"

"I had to erase her memories, she couldn't handle the Time Lord brain. The Master was able to unlock the memories though. I haven't figured out how, though I suspect he had River help him. Turns out she is Koschei and Donna's daughter." He rambled. Seeing the confused look on John's face he explained everything that had happened and everything he had learned since he had left him here.

"I want to go back." John stated after a moment of silence.

"You can't."

"Why not?"

He didn't have an answer anymore. He had left him here originally for Rose. He twirled his ring around his finger absent mindedly.

"Dinner," Rose called from the dining room as the front door opened again and Pete and Mickey came in.

"Just in time it's dinner." He said happily.

"Doctor can I talk to you a minute." Pete asked him. He nodded and followed Pete back outside to stand on the front porch. "We found a girl named Amelia Pond, living in Leadworth. She was an orphan who was found when she was seven."

"How old is she now?" He asked curiously.

"She just turned 21."

"That can't be her. Fourteen years could not have passed since I lost her." He said in shock as Pete handed him a picture.

"This was in her file." Pete said. He looked down at the picture and little Amelia smiled back up at him.

"That's her." He started to hand the picture back.

"Keep it."

He put it in his coat pocket. "How did you find her so quickly?"

"That was actually Mickey's idea. He suggested we check orphans first."

The door opened and Jackie came outside. "Come on you two dinner will be gone by the time you get to it." He followed her quietly inside and sat down by Rose. As the rest of the group talked and laughed over dinner he sat there quietly picking at his food.

"What's wrong," Rose asked him taking his hand. He briefly explained about Amelia to her.

"I don't even know how we are going to be sure it is the correct Amelia." He finished.

"Well if she came through the void. Wouldn't she still have the void particles? Where are the glasses you used at Canary Wharf?

"I threw them into a supernova after you disappeared."

"Is that what you do with things that make you mad or you don't like," Rose asked him seriously. "If you get tired of me are you going to throw me into a supernova"

"Yep, head first." He replied casually.

"I am worried that you didn't even need to think about that." Rose crossed her arms at him.

"Oh, I've thought about it." He smiled at her and she stared at him trying to figure out if he was kidding.

The rest of the evening passed quietly. With the promise of heading out first thing in the morning to find Amelia, he headed to bed.


	75. The Return of Amelia

He awoke after only a few hours of sleep and turned over to cuddle with Rose only to find the bed empty. He sat up and rubbed his face and looked at the clock to make sure his time wasn't off. Sure enough it was only three in the morning. He stood up and headed downstairs. He paused at the bottom as he heard arguing.

"I am exactly like him."

"No, John, you're not. Kissing you on the beach was a mistake but you said what I had been longing to hear. Not even after our son was born did you two, one, Oh I don't know. But he never had the courage to say it." Rose said in a loud hiss back.

"But we would have been happy and Kiam would be safe."

"He is safe with us."

"You know he isn't. He was almost dead three times because of our carelessness." He heard a cup slam down. He started to step forward and then paused again as he heard Rose speak up.

"He always says three but between Donna and Martha both of them only can name two. Pompeii and the Crucible. What is the third that he blames himself for?"

He heard footsteps behind him as the arguing went quiet. He looked up the stairs to see Martha standing there with Mickey. "Go back to bed," He whispered to them. "I'll take care of it."

Martha nodded. "Goodnight" She whispered and took Mickey's hand and led him back into her room.

"Answer me." Rose demanded as he stepped out of the stairwell into where they could see him. John was sitting at the table and had obviously been the one to slam the cup down by the tea spilled on the table. Rose was against the counter leaning on it with her arms crossed. He moved and stood beside Rose and put his arm around her.

"You answer me than." she snapped turning to look at him.

"His birth." He said.

"You blame yourself for his birth." She sounded amazed he even thought that way.

"If I hadn't drank, then blamed you for everything, and hurt you by ignoring you and then doing something stupid like taking you to Krop Tor rather then home. He wouldn't have been born early and wouldn't be struggling even today." He admitted to her.

"You don't know that for sure." She said softly.

He just smiled at her and kissed her on the head. "There is no point in arguing about it. Why don't you go back to bed and let me talk to John here?"

"I'm not tired," She lied as she yawned. He raised his eyebrows at her and she smiled. "Okay maybe a little bit," she admitted as she made a show of kissing him and he noticed she was watching John the whole time.

"Sleep well," He said as he led her to the stairs and then watched her go up them. He walked back to the kitchen and took her place at the counter.

"I'm sorry about that," He motioned to Rose, "You know how she is."

"That is the problem I do." John leaned back in his chair. "I love her and she would have resented me if she had stayed."

"You don't know that."

"But I do and you know it too even if you don't want to admit it. The best thing that could have happened was Donna letting them back on the Tardis." John stood up and cleaned the mess of the table before turning back to the Doctor.

"Can I come back to our universe?" John asked him again.

"No."

"Why not," John asked and he saw the anger in his eyes that people had always associated with the On Coming Storm. It was weird being on the receiving end of that look for a change.

"Because frankly I don't trust you. How long till the Tardis is done?"

"With Donna's equations it should only be about another year or two. And how can you not trust me, I am you."

"I know," He said sadly.

-DW-

The next morning true to his word, they were off to go find Amelia. Pete drove and he sat in the passenger seat. Rose had stayed behind to catch up with her mom and he was sure she was going to try to convince her to come home with them. Much to Rose's relief John had taken Mickey and Martha with him to Torchwood. The drive was quiet and when they pulled up to the house in Leadworth he was surprised to find it was similar to the house Amelia had lived in with her aunt.

He turned to look at Pete. "What aren't you telling me." He asked accusingly.

"In this universe, little Amelia Jessica Pond had gone missing. Then amazingly turned up in Norway two years later and she hadn't aged a day. But the DNA test confirmed that she was the daughter of Augustus and Tabetha Pond."

"Amelia didn't have a middle name."

"Here she does." Pete answered as they walked up and knocked on the door.

"Coming," A voice called from within and a stocky lady answered the door.

"Mrs. Pond?" Pete asked kindly.

"Yes, What is it?" She snipped. "Hurry up I haven't got all day."

"I am Pete Tyler and this is the Doctor, we would like to speak with your daughter Amelia for a moment if that is okay." Pete said kindly.

"What's she gone and done now?" Tabetha asked then called behind her. "Amy get down here."

A tall young girl with flaming red hair came down the stairs. She was wearing a short black skirt and a white button up dress shirt that hugged her body. "Yes mum?" She asked as she approached them.

"These two men want a word with you."

"Doctor," She said as her eyes grew wide and then she jumped and wrapped him in a hug. "I thought I would never see you again."

"So this is the man who kidnapped you." Augustus asked finally coming to the door to see what all the commotion was about.

"No Daddy, I told you he didn't kidnap me, I didn't listen and wandered off and somehow you two came back to life."

"We took her to four psychiatrist to try and get that nonsense out of her head and she kept saying that one day the Doctor will return for her."

"Four," He asked Amelia."

"I kept biting them," She admitted proudly.

"Why."

"They said you were dangerous." she blushed, "That you and Rose had kidnapped me and I had something called Stockholm syndrome."

"Well Amelia.."

"Amy."

"Amy, if you want I can take you back to the universe you belong in. But I understand if you want to stay here with your parents."

"I want to go with you but on one condition." She replied without hesitating.

"Depends on what it is?"

"We have to take Rory."

"And what is Rory."

"Rory is my fiance," She told him holding out her hand with the ring. He took her hand and looked at the ring before looking back up at her.

"My little Amelia is all grown up." He said sadly. "You should stay here, you have your parents and Rory, you don't need us anymore." He turned and started to head back to the car with Pete a few seconds behind. He stopped startled as he felt a hand grab his arm and he turned as Amelia wrapped him in a hug and buried her face in his chest. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"Nothing in my life has made sense since I got here. I remember not having parents and yet here they are. My aunt Faith doesn't exist but I have an Aunt Sharon who looks like her." She sobbed. "I just want to go home, but I can't leave Rory. Please Doctor take us with you."

"What about Rory and his family," He asked her as he gently stroked her hair.

"He only has his father. His mum died when he was a kid and him and his dad aren't that close."

"Amelia..."

"Please Doctor," She sobbed again holding him tighter. "Don't leave me here." She whispered sounding scared. She didn't sound like the same confident seven year old who had amazed him all those years ago. He glared towards the door at her parents who were still watching and wondered what they had done to her.

He kissed the top of her head before resting his head on hers. "I'll take you home." He promised.


	76. Departure

He helped Amy get her stuff from the house that she wanted to take, not trusting to leave her alone with her "parents." Something was wrong with the whole situation, besides the fact it was the wrong universe. He sat on the bed and watched Amy pack clothes and a few personal belongings.

"Take everything you want," He advised her. "Once we leave this universe I am going to close the crack again and hopefully this time it will stay closed." He stood up to where she had pictures tacked around her mirror and looked at them. He noticed all of them were Amy with friends and one man in particular, who he assumed to be Rory. None of the pictures included her parents.

"I'm ready." She said finally.

"Don't you want these." He asked gesturing towards the pictures. She shook her head no.

"I have copies in a photo album I packed." He helped her place her stuff in the car and watched her climb in without saying goodbye to her parents.

"Amy, you are never going to see them again." He mentioned to her.

"Good." She replied. The trip over to Rory's house was quiet and she went alone inside and returned not even twenty minutes later with him. He tried to talk to them as they drove back to Pete's house but receiving no answer he instead rambled on about the differences he had seen so far between the two universes.

As they pulled up to the house, he saw Rose sitting on the front steps of the house with her knees pulled up to her chest and her head buried. Her body was shaking as she cried. He quickly got out of the car and ran over to hold her. He sat down and pulled her into his arms and she turned and held onto him crying.

"What's wrong?" He asked her knowing if it was something serious she would have called him, rather than waiting for them to return.

"Mum won't come back." She managed to tell him between sobs.

"I'm not surprised. They have a life here."

"That's what she said." Rose sobbed.

"Come on. Now that Amy is with us, we need to leave. I don't want to risk the Tardis any longer than we have to."

They said their goodbyes and grabbed the few things they had managed to accumulate in their short time in Pete's world. They stopped by Torchwood to pick up Martha and Mickey and he wasn't surprised when John offered to go to. The drive and then balloon ride back to Bad Wolf Bay was quiet.

"I'll miss you," Rose cried wrapping her dad in a hug. "I'm sorry we can't stay."

"Don't be sweetheart. The universe needs you." He replied kissing her head.

"I wish you would come with us."

"I know," He said and then bent down and hugged Kiam before turning to the Doctor. "Take good care of them for me."

"Always," he answered and unlocked the Tardis. Rose headed quickly on board not looking back and Kiam followed after her with Mickey and Martha.

"Please take me with you." John asked him again.

"This universe needs a Doctor too and the Tardis will be ready soon enough. I know how bad we are at being patient but you just need to wait a little longer."

"What if I were to travel with him?" Amy spoke up.

"Amy?"

"What if Rory and I kept an eye on him? You have Rose and Kiam, he is going to need someone too."

"No, absolutely not."

"I think he should," He heard Rose say and he turned to look at her shocked, not realizing she had come back out.

She walked over to her dad and handed him a photo album, "To remember us by." She told him before turning back to the Doctor. "You left him here to look after me and for me to make him a better person. Now he is alone here and there is no one to help him. You are no longer the last of the Time Lord's there are so many more who can help him now."

"Me and Koschei are the last Rose. River, Kiam, Jenny, Donna and even him are only echo's of what could have been." He told her sadly. He looked at John. "Where is your Tardis." He asked him.

"Here," John replied and pulled a backpack out of the truck.

"Get on board before I change my mind." He said and he watch John hug Pete before disappearing inside.

"The universe in your hands Amelia Pond," He said softly as she led Rory inside.

"Thank you," Rose kissed him on the cheek and then disappeared inside again leaving him alone on the beach with Pete.

"I am going to try to seal the crack's permanently this time, sealing this reality off forever."

"Before you go Doctor, you should know there was a man poking around Torchwood a few weeks back. He said he was looking for a lost piece of technology but refused to tell me what it was, when I asked him."

"I am sure you know how to handle it."

"We did, but he called himself Koschei." Pete said.

"I will figure out what he's up to." He told Pete and then nodded at him. He headed back onto the Tardis to see that John had all ready removed the minimum power settings. He put back the insignificant power source and left Pete's world for what he hoped was the final time.


	77. Rose's Choice

After leaving Pete's world he had dropped of Martha and Mickey but unsure what to do with the rest they had stayed aboard for the time being. The Tardis was full and noisy and while it brought him a lot of joy it also made him uneasy as he watched John flirt with Rose. Rather than saying something, he sat back in his chair at the table and sipped more and more wine until he felt his brain going numb.

"Doctor, are you okay." Amelia asked him concerned when she noticed he was the only one not talking.

"Fine," He muttered.

"Are you sure?" John chimed in.

"I said I am fine," he snapped as the table went quiet.

"I think you have had enough wine." Rose said reaching for the bottle.

"I'll tell you when I have had enough. You can just continue to flirt with John there. I'll even give him our wedding ring if you like and the two of you can pick out a nice cottage together."

"Doctor, this isn't you," Rose said trying to keep her anger down. "Give me the bottle of wine." She reached for it again and this time he let her take it.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"It's okay." She took his hand and gently rubbed the back of it with her thumb. "We should call it a night." She said softly as she stood up. "Come on Kiam time to get ready for bed."

He stood up and left the room but instead of going to bed like Rose wanted he set the controls on the Tardis.

"Want some help?" John asked coming into the room.

"Not at the moment," He replied not surprised to see him. "Why don't you go and get settled. Then tomorrow we can discuss where you want to go for the next two years, while your Tardis finishes growing."

He watched as John checked the coordinates and then hit a few buttons and landed the Tardis for him. Rather than thanking him though he grabbed his coat and stepped off the Tardis closing the door tightly behind him.

"Tick tock goes the clock, he cradled and he rocked her. Tick tock goes the clock even for the Doctor." The Master sung to him as he walked over to the desk and sat down. He leaned back and put his feet up on the desk and crossed his arms across his chest.

"You won't find any." He told the Master.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Drink?"

He just shook his head no. "There are no Time Lords left, it is just us and you are creating cracks in space and time by tearing open the dimensions to search for them. We were friends once why not give this up and come and travel with me?"

"Oh Doctor are you proposing, I don't think your wife would like that very much." The Master mocked him.

"Koschei, I don't want to, but if I have to, I will stop you."

"Tick tock goes the clock, and all the years they fly, Tick tock and all too soon, your love, will surely die."

"Please reconsider my offer?"

"No."

He stood up and headed back to the Tardis. He walked straight past John and headed to his room.

-DW-

It had been years since he had been back to earth. He had traveled the universe running faster and harder than he had in a long time. So when he opened the doors of the Tardis expecting to see the bright shining twin suns of Magrathea and realized he was in Leadworth he was a little surprised.

He stepped out of the Tardis and over the rocks surrounding the garden that his Tardis had just destroyed. Out of the house a boy came running and flung himself into his arms. "Daddy, you're back." He cried out happily. John came out of the house after him.

"Kiam," He said happily and then looked up at the newcomer, "John." His voice now showing the disdain he felt towards him.

"Doctor," John replied in the same tone.

"I've crushed your flowers." He said turning back to Kiam.

"Oh, Mum will kill you." Kiam replied laughing.

"Where is she?" He asked looking hopefully around for her.

"She'll need a bit longer." John told him and then turned and called over his shoulder. "Whenever you're ready, Rose."

As Rose waddled out the door, her belly big, he felt both of his hearts break in a way he didn't realize was still possible.

"You look lovely," He told her trying to hide the pain he was feeling.

"I'm pregnant." She told him.

"I know. Five years later and you haven't changed a bit, apart from age and size." He replied. Him and Rose had tried for years to have more children but after John's return everything had changed. He had made her happy and he found himself pushing them together more and more while he distanced himself from her. Until finally one day he had bought them a home and dropped them off to live, leaving Kiam with them to raise.

It had obviously been the right choice he realized as he saw Rose glowing and Kiam was speaking in complete sentences and no traces of his talking problems were noticeable.

"Oh, it's good to see you, Doctor." Rose said as she wrapped him into a hug. He hugged her back and resisted laying his head on hers as he breathed in her scent.

"Doctor," He heard Amy cry out and she was coming over hand in hand with Rory. He let go of Rose and wrapped Amy up in a hug.

"Oh my Amelia." He released the hug and followed them as they started to walk down the street. Kiam took his hand and smiled up at him.

"I can't believe you remember me." He laughed.

"Time Lord," Kiam laughed back.

"Ah Leadworth. Vibrant as ever." He commented.

"It's Upper Leadworth, actually. We've gone slightly upmarket." John replied.

"Where is everyone?"

"This is busy." Amy told him and then sighed. "Okay, it's quiet, but it's really restful and healthy. Loads of people here live well into their nineties."

"Well, don't let that get you down." He joked but Rose huffed.

"It's not getting me down." Amy grumbled.

"Well, I wanted to see how you all were. You know me, I don't just abandon people when they leave the Tardis. This Time Lord's for life."

"You came here by mistake, didn't you?" John questioned him.

"Yeah, bit of a mistake. But look, what a result. So. What do you do around here to stave off the, you know?"

"Boredom." Rose replied.

"Self harm?" Rory asked.

"We relax." John said.

"Relax, you really relax." His voice went squeaky with the surprise.

"We live. We listen to the birds." John told him.

"Yeah, see? Birds. Those are nice." Amy spoke up.

"We didn't get time to listen to birdsong back in the Tardis days, did we?" Rose asked him as the birdsong grew so loud it was all they could hear.

"Oh blimey, my head's a bit. Ooo. Er, no, you're right, there wasn't a lot of time for birdsong back in the good old" He felt Rose fall against him and he fell backwards as they all collapsed to the ground sound asleep.


	78. Rose's Choice part 2

He woke up in his bed with Rose curled against him. He kissed her on the head and she smiled up at him.

"I had a terrible nightmare That was scary. Don't ask. You don't want to know." He told her and hugged her to him. He heard Kiam whimper from his day bed. "I think someone wants Mummy," He told Rose as Kiam came over dragging his teddy bear and climbing on the bed towards Rose.

"Hey buddy," She said softly and wrapped her arms as he climbed on her lap and put his head on her shoulder.

"I also had a kind of dream" She told the Doctor. "I don't know if it was a nightmare though. In it I was married to John." She laughed.

Surprising her, he jumped out of bed and ran to the console room. "John," He called out and John sat up from where he was laying on the control room floor. Amy and Rory were struggling to wake up on the pilot seat where they were sitting. He head over to the console where he noticed red flashing lights.

"Doctor, what's wrong." Rose asked coming into the room carrying Kiam with her. He looked at John, who was staring at Rose. John looked away quickly when he noticed the Doctor was watching him. "It was dream, I am married to you, not to John."

"You had a dream you were married to me," John asked.

"Yeah,"

"I had a similar dream," He responded.

"Me too," Amy added, she looked towards Rose, "And we lived in a small little village and you were pregnant."

"I was I was huge."

"You were as big as a boat." Rory laughed and was smacked by Amy. He was still staring at John and the two of them exchanged concerned looks.

"So you had the same dream, then?" John spoke up. "Exactly the same dream?"

"Are you calling me a boat?" Rose asked offended.

"And Doctor, you were visiting." Amy told him.

"How can we have the same dream?" Rory asked. "It doesn't make any sense."

"And you had a nightmare about us." Rose went over to him and tried to adjust Kiam so that she could comfort him, but Kiam was too big for her to hold in one arm anymore. He took Kiam from her and held Kiam on his side as she wrapped her arm around his waist. "What happened to us in the nightmare?"

"It was a bit similar, in some aspects." He finally said.

"Which aspects?" John asked him.

"Well, all of them." He admitted and reached up to rub the back of his neck.

"You had the same dream." Amy asked.

"Basically."

"You said it was a nightmare." Rose added.

"It was. Look, it doesn't matter. We all had some kind of psychic episode. We probably jumped a time track or something. Forget it. We're back to reality now." He paused as he heard a bird singing.

"Doctor? If we're back to reality, how come I can still hear birds?" Amy asked him.

"Yeah, the same birds. The same ones we heard in the..." Rory drifted off again. As he started to fall over asleep, he fought it, trying not to drop his son as the rest fell asleep around him. He managed to get Kiam to the floor safely before the darkness overtook him.

-DW-

"Dream. Oh! Sorry. Nodded off." Rory rambled. "Stupid. God, I must be overdoing it. I was dreaming we were back on the Tardis."

"You had the same dream, didn't you?" John stated sitting up again off the pavement this time, before standing up and heading over to Rose.

"Weren't we just saying the same thing?" Rose wondered as she took John's hand and he pulled her up.

"Are you okay," He asked her.

"Fine," She replied. "Are you okay Kiam,"

"I'm fine mummy."

"But we thought this was the dream, didn't we?" Amy wondered.

"I think so. Why do dreams have to fade so quickly?" Rory asked them and he ignored the conversation as he looked around trying to get a clue of what was going on. Something was definitely wrong and his senses were all off.

"Listen to me. Trust nothing. From now on, trust nothing you see, hear or feel." He told the small group.

"But we're awake now." Kiam argued.

"Yeah. You thought you were awake on the Tardis, too." John replied and the Doctor nodded in agreement.

"But we're home." Amy tried.

"Yeah, you're home." He agreed with her. "You're also dreaming. Trouble is which is which? Are we flashing forwards or backwards." Almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth he found himself on the control room floor again.

"Oh, I do not like this." He said angrily and stood up off the floor and kicked the console hard. The only thing he accomplished though was to make his foot hurt. He started flicking switches and pressing buttons with the help of John but nothing was happening.

"Shall I run and get the manual?" Rose asked.

"I threw it in a supernova." He stated.

"You threw the manual in a supernova? Why?" Amy asked him curiously.

"Because that is what he does with things that make him mad. He must have disagreed with it." Rose smirked.

"Okay, but whatever's wrong with the Tardis, is that what caused us to dream about the future?" Rory asked.

"If we were dreaming of the future." He glared up at John again who pretended not to notice as he continued to work on getting the Tardis moving again.

"Well, of course we were. We were in Leadworth." Amy said matter of factly.

"Upper Leadworth." John added on.

"Yeah, and we could still be in Upper Leadworth, dreaming of this. Don't you get it?" He was all ready getting annoyed with them and this was just making it worse. There were too many people aboard his Tardis at the moment and if he dropped off one of them, he was sure he would feel better.

"No, okay? No, this is real. I'm definitely awake now." Amy told them.

"And you thought you were definitely awake before." John pointed out.

"This could be the dream. I told you. Trust nothing we see or hear or feel. Look around you. Examine everything. Look for all the details that don't ring true." He tried again to explain.

"Okay, we're in a spaceship that's bigger on the inside than the outside." Rory stated.

"With an alien and his identical metacrisis." Amy chimed in. "So maybe what rings true isn't so simple."

"Valid point." He admitted. The Tardis took that moment to switch off leaving just a faint glow from the time rotor. "What did you do." He accused John.

"You know it wasn't me." John argued. "It's dead. We're in a dead time machine."

As bird song filled the air again he pleaded with the group. "Remember, this is real. But when we wake up in the other place, remember how real this feels."

"It is real. I know it's real." Amy agreed as they drifted off again.


	79. Rose's choice part 3

He woke up to a teacher leading school children past them.

"Okay, this is the real one." Amy stated immediately. "Definitely this one. It's all solid."

"It felt solid in the Tardis too." He said at the same time John mentioned. "You can't spot a dream while you're having it." He turned to look at John and saw him waving his hand in front of his face.

"What are you doing?" He asked him exasperated.

"Looking for motion blur, pixilation. It could be a computer simulation. I don't think so, though." He nodded slowly with both his eyes still on John. A little old woman was walking past and she turned to look at John.

"Hello Doctor," She said pleasantly.

"Hi." John responded cheerfully.

"Oh so you have decided to go by the Doctor?" He asked him.

"Yeah. And unlike you, I've actually passed some exams." John responded glaring at him. Rose stood up and took John's arm and started rubbing it gently.

"A doctor, not a nurse." He hissed at John. "And my wife, just like you've always dreamed. How interesting."

"What is?" Rory asked speaking up.

"His dream wife, my son, probably his dream baby. Maybe this is his dream."

"It's Rose's dream too. Isn't it, Rose," John asked her kissing her on the head. Dream or not he was going to leave John somewhere, he decided.

"Yes. Course it is, yeah." She said hesitantly, as though she wasn't sure herself anymore. He watched them for a few seconds before taking Kiam's hand and turning to a nearby building, noticing that there was a woman and two men staring out the window at them.

"What's that?" He asked Kiam.

"Old people's home." Kiam responded.

"You said everyone here lives to their nineties." He stated not bothering to look at the others to see their reply. "There's something here that doesn't make sense." Still holding Kiam's hand he took off running towards the home. Behind him he heard Rose complain.

"Oh. Can we not do the running thing?" She huffed. Entering the home he headed into the main living room where a group of patients had gathered.

"Oh hello, Doctor Smith," One of the woman addressed John.

"Hello, Mrs Poggit. How's your hip?" John responded going over to her.

"A bit stiff." She turned to Rory. "Can I borrow you? You're the size of my grandson." She handed him a sweater and he heard Amy chuckle at it and mumble, "She must hate him"

"Slightly keen to move on." He spoke up. "Freak psychic schism to sort out. You're incredibly old, aren't you?" He noticed the rest of the residents staring at him. He opened his mouth to speak as he heard the birds start again and he fell to the floor.

Waking up on the Tardis, he was starting to get mad.

"Okay, I hate this, Doctor." Amy stated. "Stop it, because this is definitely real. It's definitely this one. I keep saying that, don't I?" She looked confused.

"It's bloody cold." Rose wrapped her arms around Kiam trying to keep him warm.

"The heating's off." He told her as he took his coat off the coral he had thrown it on and put it over the two of them.

"The heating's off?" Rory asked.

"Yeah. Put on a jumper." John stated, he was glaring at the Doctor and Rose as he held her, trying to warm her up. Seeing the look on John's face he stood up quickly and went over to him. He was intent on hitting John and had raised his fist as Rory stepped in front of him.

"Sorry about Mrs Poggit." Rory said, "She's so lovely though."

He lowered his fist but continued to stare past Rory at John. "I wouldn't believe her nice old lady act if I were you."

"What do you mean, act?" Amy inquired.

"Everything's off. Sensors, core power. We're drifting." He pointed towards the blank screen that normally showed where they were. "The scanner's down so we can't even see out. We could be anywhere. Someone, something, is overriding my controls. You wouldn't know anything about this now would you John."

John opened his mouth to respond as a little old man in a black pin striped suit and a dark red bowtie appeared beside them.

"Well, that took a while. Honestly, I'd heard such good things. Last of the Time Lords, the Oncoming Storm." The man gestured with his thumb out at him.

"Friend of yours." He asked John and John shook his head. "How did you get into my Tardis? What are you?"

"What shall we call me?" The man thought for a moment. "Well, if you're a Time Lord, let's call me the Dream Lord." He said finally.

"Nice look." He said as he took out a ball from his pocket and threw it at the man. He watched as the ball goes straight through him.

"Interesting. I'd love to be impressed, but Dream Lord." He huffed.  
The man disappeared and reappeared behind him. He turned around to look at him. "Rose want to take a guess at what that is?" He asked her.

"Er, Dream Lord. He creates dreams." Rose guessed.

"Dreams, delusions, cheap tricks." Rory added on.

"And what about everyone else, do they get a guess?" The man asked him. "What about the gooseberry here?" He asked going up to John.

"Er, listen, mate. If anyone's the gooseberry round here, it's the Doctor." John said.

"Well now, there's a delusion I'm not responsible for." The Dream Lord chuckled with John.

"No, he is. Isn't he, Amy." Rory looked to her for support.

"Oh, Rose, have to sort your men out. Choose, even."

"I have chosen. Of course I've chosen." Both John and the Doctor turn to look at her curiously.

"It's you," She says meeting the Doctor's eyes. He smiles warmly at her.

"Oh, good." He can't help the relief in his voice as the Dream Lord disappears again and reappears behind them.

"You can't fool me. I've seen your dreams. Some of them twice. Rose. Blimey, I'd blush if I had a blood supply or a real face." He says and Rose's face does turn bright red as she looks away from the two of them.

"Where did you pick up this cheap cabaret act?" John asks.

"Me? Oh, you're on shaky ground." The Dream Lord tells John.

"Am I?" John asks suddenly curious.

"So, here's your challenge. Two worlds. Here, in the time machine, and there, in the village that time forgot." The Dream Lord says with glee." One is real, the other's fake." He sings. "And just to make it more interesting, you're going to face in both worlds a deadly danger, but only one of the dangers is real. Tweet, tweet. Time to sleep." The birds start chirping again as the others pass out around him. "Oh. Or are you waking up?"

He grabs ahold of the side of the console staring at the Dream Lord trying desperately to stay awake. His eyes grow heavy and he hits the floor.

-DW-

He opens his eyes and they are back in Leadworth and all the residents are gone. The Dream Lord enters the room wearing a white suite this time with a cream colored tie. In his hand he is holding an x-ray and tutting at it. "Oh, this is bad. This is very, very bad. Look at this X-ray. Your brain is completely see-through." He holds the x-ray up to the window. "But then, I've always been able to see through you, Doctor."

"Always? What do you mean, always?" Rose asks.

The Dream Lord ignores her. "Now then, the prognosis is this. If you die in the dream, you wake up in reality. Healthy recovery in next to no time. Ask me what happens if you die in reality?" he ponders.

"What happens?" Rory asks.

"You die, stupid." Amy answers. "That's why it's called reality." She rolls her eyes at Rory as Kiam snickers.

"Have you met the Doctor before?" Rose says accusingly. "Do you even know him?" She turns to look at him. "Doctor, does he?"

"Now don't get jealous. He's been around, our boy. But never mind that. You've got a world to choose. One reality was always too much for you, Doctor. Take two and call me in the morning." The Dream Lord says before vanishing in front of them.

"Okay, I don't like him." Kiam says.

"Who is he?" Amy asks him.

"I don't know. It's a big universe." He answers.

"Okay then, why is he doing this?"

"Maybe because he has no physical form." John responds. "That gets you down after a while, so he's taking it out on folk like us who can touch and eat and feel."

"What does he mean, deadly danger, though? Nothing deadly has happened here. I mean, a bit of natural wastage, obviously." Rory inputs. He looks at Rory before he runs out of the building and to the streets hearing Rose moan about the running again. He starts looking for the elderly and sees across the way a play area filled with kids in front of the ruins of a castle.

"Why would they leave?" Rory asks, catching up first. "And what did you mean about Mrs Poggit's nice old lady act?"

"Come on, let's think. The mechanics of this reality split we're stuck in. Time asleep exactly matches time in our dream world, unlike in conventional dreams." He states

"And we're all dreaming the same dream at the same time." John adds on. "Sort of communal trance. Very rare, very complicated."

"I'm sure there's a dream giveaway, a tell, but my mind isn't working because this village is so dull!" He yells out. "I'm slowing down, like you lot have."

Rose chooses that moment to double over and grab her stomach. "Ooo. Ow. Really. Ow! It's coming." She says sounding slightly panicked. He looks at John and smirks before leaning up against one of the parked cars.

"Okay, you're a doctor, help her." He smiles and gestures towards Rose as John turns pale.

"You're a doctor." John responds.

"Yes but I want to see how you handle this. I've been through it before remember." He taps his head.

"It's okay, I'm a doctor." John says as he squats down and holds his hands out like he is going to catch the baby.

"What do we do?" Rory asked seriously as Rose let go of her stomach and straightened up.

"Okay, it's not coming." She said and started to walk again.

"What?" John said in amazement.

"I was trying to get to him and he just stands there with that smirk on his face. "What if I hadn't been faking?"

He hangs his head slightly still smiling. "Sorry."

"Yeah." She says and heads over to the swingset and sits down. John goes behind her and Amy and Rory nab the free ones. He leans against the pole watching Mrs. Poggit walk up the steps to the castle. He turns to look at them and sees Kiam now sitting on Rory's lap.

"Now, we all know there's an elephant in the room." Rory says.

"I have to be this size, I'm having a baby." Rose scoffs.

"I don't know about you, but I wouldn't hire Mrs Poggit as a babysitter. What's she doing? What does she want?" He points towards the castle and hears the birds starting again.

"Oh, no. Here we go." Kiam moans.


	80. Rose's choice part 4

He woke up aboard the Tardis again. The temperature in the room had fallen again to the point he could see the breath of his companions.

"It's really cold. Have you got any warm clothing?" Amy inquired.

"Didn't you pack any warm clothing." He asked her heading to the console again.

"It was summer when we left." Amy countered him.

"Still should have packed something warm. You never know where we are going to end up. We could be on the Planet of the Ood." He commented. "And you must remember the Ice Palace I took you to as a kid."

"Okay point taken." Amy huffed and crossed her arms.

"There should be some stuff in the wardrobe." John spoke up. "Have a look." Amy glared at him and then took Rory's hand and the two of them disappear into the corridors. Reaching under the controls he finds the box he is looking for and pulls out a combination of a whisk, rope and a bottle opener.

"Has that thing ever really worked." John scoffed seeing the pieces.

"It works well enough and I need to see where we are and find out why it is so cold." He responds assembling the pieces of the generator. Rory and Amy come back into the room and he is happy to see that they are carrying blankets. Taking a couple from Amy he hands the generator to John and goes to Rose and Kiam.

"Here you go." He says softly as he helps Rose wrap Kiam up in one of the blankets. Kiam is shaking and he is immediately concerned with how cold he has gotten. Reaching out he gently places his hand to Kiam's face. "Oh, buddy, your face is freezing." He wanted his coat but now he wouldn't dare take it back from them. Reaching over he helps Rose wrap another blanket around her and Kiam before wrapping the coat back around the two of them.

"You okay Rose," He asks as he kisses her on the head.

"I'm okay," She responds and looks down at the little face barely visible through the blankets now. "Will he be okay?"

"I give you my word." He says seriously.

"It's a star." John exclaims suddenly as he runs to the doors and throws them open. "A cold star. That's why we're freezing. It's not a heating malfunction. We're drifting towards a cold sun. There's our deadly danger for this version of reality."

"So this must be the dream. There's no such thing as a cold star. Stars burn." Amy says.

"So's this one. It's just burning cold." John tells her.

"Is that possible, Doctor?" Rory asks him.

"I can't know everything." He snaps looking away from Rose, "Why does everybody always expect me to?"

"Okay, this is something you haven't seen before." Rose says calmly to him. "So does that mean this is the dream?"

He sighs and stands up to get a proper look outside of the door, as John stands there looking out, mesmerized by the glowing blue orb. "I don't know, but there it is, and I'd say we've got about fourteen minutes until we crash into it. But that's not a problem."

"Because you know how to get us out of this?" Rory asks hopefully.

"Because we'll have frozen to death by then." John answers Rory and he nods in agreement.

Oh, then what are we going to do?" Rose says trying to pull Kiam closer to her.

"Stay calm." He tells her softly and then says in a louder voice. "Don't get sucked into it, because this just might be the battle that we have to lose."

"Oh, this is so you, isn't it?" John says as he finally closes the doors and turns around.

"What?" He asks John confused. "The Dream Lord is your pal, not mine."

"A weird new star, fourteen minutes left to live and only one man to save the day, huh? I just wanted a nice village and a family." John says angrily storming up to the Doctor.

"Yeah, my family." He emphasizes.

"Do you have a problem with me, cause I didn't ask you to put your energy in your hand?" John seethes.

"Yeah I do." He says taking a step forward so they were eye to eye. "You have been trying to take Rose from me since the minute you got here."

"Oh dear, Doctor." The Dream Lord interrupts. "Dissent in the ranks. There was an old doctor from Gallifrey, who ended up throwing his life away. He let down his friends and.." The man paused as the birdsong started again. "Oh, no. We've run out of time. Don't spend too long there, or you'll catch your death here."

-DW-

He was slumped down on the ground at the edge of the swings. He stood up and stretched his back sore from the awkward position he fell asleep in.

"Where have the children gone?" Kiam wondered looking over towards the Castle.

"Don't know. Play time's probably over." John answers him before turning to Rose. "You see, this is the real one. I just feel it. Don't you feel it, Rose?"

"I feel it both places." Amy speaks up seeing the glare crossing his face.

"I feel it here." Rory adds. "It's just so tranquil and relaxed. Nothing bad could ever happen here."

"Not really me, though, is it?" Rose finally tells John. "I mean, would I be happy settling down in a place with a pub, two shops?"

He walks away from them and heads into the castle grounds. Scattered across the ground are little hills of what looks to be dirt and various backpacks. The children are nowhere in sight. Kneeling down, he pulls out his sonic and scans one on the hills. Reading the results he frowns and moves to the next one.

"Doctor, what are you doing? And what are those piles of dust?" Amy asks him curiously.

"Play time's definitely over." He says standing up and looking at her seriously.

"Oh, my God." Rose gasps and covers her mouth.

"What happened to them?" John asks him seriously, their feud temporarily set aside. He stands up and looks to where there is a group of elderly people crossing the street.

"I think they did." He says casually and heads over towards the group.

"They're just old people." Rorys tells him, shaking his head.

"No, they're very old people." Stopping he observes the group. "Sorry, John, I don't think you're what's been keeping them alive."

"Hello, peasants. What's this, attack of the old people? Oh, that's ridiculous." The Dream Lord mocks them. "This has got to be the dream, hasn't it? What do you think, Amy? Let's all jump under a bus and wake up in the Tardis. You first." He gestures towards the empty road.

"Leave her alone." He says, his voice going overly calm.

"Do that again." The Dream Lord request, his voice full of glee. "I love it when he does that. Tall dark hero. Leave her alone."

"Just leave her." John request, his voice matching the level of calmness.

"Yes, you're not quite so impressive," The Dream Lord scoffs, "but I know where your heart lies, don't I, Rose Tyler?"

"Shut up." Kiam tells the Dream Lord.

"Just shut up and leave me alone." Rose agrees with Kiam before looking at him. "Honey, it's not nice to tell people to shut up, even if they are manipulative gits."

"Rose," He chuckles.

"What, he started it." She whines.

"But listen. You're in there. Loves a blonde, the Doctor." The Dream Lord Tells her. "Also loves a redhead. Always yearning to be ginger. Has he told you about Elizabeth the First? Well, she thought she was the first."

"Drop it." He says his voice losing the calm and becoming angry as John looks at him slightly surprised. "Drop all of it. I know who you are." He suddenly realizes.

"Course you don't." The Dream Lord scoffs.

"No idea how you can be here, but there's only one person in the universe who hates me as much as you do." He tells the Dream Lord seriously.

"Never mind me. Maybe you should worry about them." The Dream Lord vanishes as the group of elderly approach them.

"Hello, we were wondering where you went." He says straining to keep his voice pleasant. "To get reinforcements, by the look of it."

"Are you all right? You look a bit tense." John adds.

"Hello, Mister Nainby." Rory says stepping forward.

"Rory." He says warningly.

"Mister Nainby runs the sweet shop." Kiam says happily. "He gives me free toffee."

Nainby grabs Rory by the collar and lifts him off his feet. Rory looks at him surprised as he throws him backwards and Rory hits the ground hard and he immediately goes limp.

"Rory," Amy cries out rushing over to him. He pulls out his sonic and hands it to John and then grabs Kiam and Rose and starts to pull them backwards.

"Daddy, how did he do that?" Kiam asks him sounding scared.

"I suspect he's not himself." He replies and looks questionly towards John, who shakes his head.

"Rory, no Rory," Amy cries grabbing on to him and sobbing.

"Can't we just talk to them?" Rose asks and as if to answer their question, they open their mouths and an eye looks out of it.

"There is an eye in her mouth." Kiam says gripping his hand tightly.

"There's a whole creature inside her." He catches John's eye and tips his head quickly to the side away from the group. John barely nods and then starts trying to ease Amy off of Rory. "Inside all of them. They've been there for years, living and waiting."

"That is disgusting. They're not going to be peeping out of anywhere else, are they?" Rose inquires and he hears Amy struggling to break free of John's grip as he tries to move her away from them. He manages to get her a few feet back before losing his hold on her and rather than dropping down to Rory again she runs at Mrs. Poggit. Mrs. Poggit opens her mouth as Amy gets there and a green stream of gas hits her full in the face and she collapses to the ground.

"Run." He exclaims as John runs over and scoops Amy up. John hands him back his sonic and then he watches him take off with Amy and gently pushes Rose to go after him with Kiam.  
"Okay, leave them, leave them." He says panicking to the elderly. "Talk to me. Talk to me. You are Eknodines. A proud, ancient race. you're better than this. Why are you hiding away here? Why aren't you at home?"

"We were driven from our planet." Mrs. Poggit tells him.

"Been living here inside the bodies of old humans for years. No wonder they live so long. You're keeping them alive." He tells Mrs. Poggit.

"We were humbled and destroyed. Now we will do the same to others." She smirks.

"Okay. Makes sense, I suppose. Credible enough. Could be real." He ponders. "But you need to leave this planet. You only get one warning." He tells them and takes off after the others. As he nears the town again the birdsong starts. He looks desperately around to make sure the others are safe as he fights off sleep. He enters the nearest building and closes the door behind him. Groaning he realizes he is in a butcher shop and the Dream Lord is behind the counter.

"Oh, I love a good butcher's, don't you? We've got to use these places or they'll shut down. Oh, but you're probably a vegetarian, aren't you, you big spiky hair wuss." The Dream Lord mocks.

"Oh, pipe down. I'm busy." He says irritated.

"Maybe you need a little sleep." The Dream Lords says and his sleepiness hits him hard and he slumps to the floor. "Oh, wait a moment. If you fall asleep here, several dozen angry pensioners will destroy you with their horrible eye things."

He grabs onto the counter and barely manages to pull himself up off the floor. Stumbling he starts to head around the counter and down a small hallway in the back.

"Come in, come in," The Dream Lord welcomes the elderly as they enter the shop. "Yes, we've got lots at steak here this week. Lots at steak, get it? Are these jokes wasted on you?"

He makes it down the hall and to a closed door. He opens the door and is relieved to find that it is a small storage room. Going inside he closes the door behind him and locks it with the sonic before he can't fight the sleep any longer and collapses back to the floor.


	81. Rose's choice part 5

Waking up in the Tardis again, he immediately looks for Amy and Rory as the other's begin to stir. Rushing over to them he scans both of them with the sonic to find that they are are both alive but still deeply asleep, in almost a coma like state.

"What happened to Amy?" He asks John.

"She turned to dust before we could get to safety." John replies. "How are they?"

"Alive but non responsive. I don't think they are going to wake up again until we figure this out." He says keeping his voice low enough that Rose couldn't hear them. He grabs one of the blankets off of the pilot seat and covers the two of them.

"We should move them." John tells him.

"Naw their fine for now. Let's just finish this." He stands up and looks over at Rose. "The three of us have to agree, now, which is the dream."

"It's this, here." John says immediately.

"He could be right." Rose agrees with John. "Burning ice?"

"Ice can burn." He tells her and is surprised to feel his hearts breaking at the thought she would choose the other reality with John, over staying with him. "It's a big universe. We have to agree which battle to lose. All of us, now."

"Okay, which world do you think is real?" Rose asks him seriously.

"This one." He tells Rose looking her in the eyes.

"No, the other one." John speaks up.

"Yeah, but are we disagreeing or competing?" He asks John looking away from Rose.

"Competing? Over what?" Rose asks confused and then her face falls when they both turn to look at her again. "Oh."

"Nine minutes till impact." John says.

"What temperature is it?" He asks John as he finally grabs one of the blankets and wraps it around himself. He watches John smile in satisfaction as though he just won and then grab a blanket himself.

"Outside?" John shrugs. "Inside? I don't know but I can't feel my feet and other parts."

"I think all my parts are basically fine." He tells John.

"Stop competing." John says seriously as Rose rolls her eyes at them.

"Can't we call for help?" Rose says, "I mean, there is a phone on the console."

"Yeah, because the universe is really small and there's bound to be someone nearby." He says sarcastically at her.

"So, we're going to die?" Rose asks him.

"No, we're not, but our time's running out." He tells her seriously. "If we fall asleep here we're in trouble. If we could divide up, then we'd have an active presence in each world, but the Dream Lord is switching us between the worlds. Why? Why? what's the logic?"

"Good idea, veggie. Let's divide you three up, so I can have a little chat with our lovely wife. Maybe I'll keep her, and you can have your clone to yourself for all eternity, should you manage to clamber aboard some sort of reality."

"Can you hear that?" He asks Rose as the birdsong starts again.

"What?" She answers confused as they start to drift off. "No, please don't leave me."

"Rose, don't be scared. We'll be back." He tells her. Opening his eyes again he is back in the little store room. He stands up quickly and opens the door. The place is still full of the elderly. Pointing the sonic at the light he quickly changes the settings and the light explodes. Taking the opportunity in the confusion he rushes out of the butcher shop. Outside Mr. Nainby is attacking a camper. Inside he can hear the man crying for help.

He hesitates in the road. He is desperate to get to Kiam and Rose. "Help me," the man in the camper cries again and not being able to refuse his cries he runs at Mr. Nainby and knocks him over and then proceeds to climb into the camper's driver seat. The man looks at him confused.

"John?" The man asks.

"Nope, I'm the Doctor."

"Doctor Who?"

"Just the Doctor, now hang on tight." He puts the van into motion and starts to head towards Rose's home. As they go past the playground though, he sees a group of woman being attacked. Driving as close as he dares he stops the van and the man opens the backdoor. "Get in, get in, get in. Quickly, quickly, over here. Quickly. Get in." The man calls out.

"Come on, jump in. Quickly, get in now." He says impatiently. "Quickly. Hurry up. Are we in?" He asks them and they all nod. "All right. Allons-y." He starts up the van again and this time comes across a small family standing in front of their home. Sighing he stops the van again and allows the family to enter.

"Come on, Allons-y." He calls out to them as they slowly enter the van.

"That's it. Clear." The owner of the van tells him.

"Everyone in." He drives them until he sees a church. Stopping one more time. "Everybody, the church, that's right." He says as they all exit the van and close the backdoor. "Don't answer the door." He calls out to them as he immediately takes off towards Roses again.  
As he is driving the Dream Lord suddenly appears in the passenger seat.

"It's make your mind up time in both worlds" The Dream Lord advises him.

"Fine. I need to find my family," He tells the Dream Lord and John." He adds as an afterthought.

"Family? Is that the right word for them? Family are people you stay in touch with." The Dream Lord advises him. "Your family never wanted to see you again once you left them. Rose took Kiam and married John, and never spared a second thought for the man who left her behind."

He glares at the Dream Lord as he pulls up in front of her house and the Dream Lord vanishes again. Outside of the home the elderly have gathered. Seeing an open window he pulls up next to the house and then climbs on top of the van. Reaching up he grabs the trellis and climbs up it to the window. Looking in he sees Rose holding Kiam close and John standing nearby.

"Sorry. I had to stop off at the butcher's." He jokes as he climbs in through the window.

"What are we going to do?" Kiam asks, tears streaming down his face.

"I don't know." He admits, "I thought the freezing Tardis was real but now I'm not so sure."

"Oh! I think the baby's starting." Rose says suddenly grabbing her stomach again.

"Honestly?" John asks her, doubt in his voice.

"Would I make it up at a time like this?" She angrily replies.

"Well, you do have a history of.." He pauses as Rose glares at him. "Being very lovely." He finishes and then turns to the Doctor, who is still standing by the window. "Why are they so desperate to kill us?"

"They're scared. Fear generates savagery." He tells John as he hear a noise behind him and realizes he left the window open. Turning to close it, he comes face to face with Mrs. Poggit and before he can react, green gas floods his face and he collapses to the ground.

"Doctor," Rose cries out and rushes over to him as John rushes over to the window and knocks Mrs. Poggit out.

"You were brilliant." He tells Rose with a small smile as his hand begins to turn to dust.

"Stay." Rose cries as he touches her face with his remaining hand and caresses her cheek.

"Look after our son." He says as the quiet darkness overtakes him.

-DW-

He opens his eyes slowly to a thick layer of ice covering him and everyone else in the Tardis. He looks over to Rose, who is slumped on her side and breathing shallowly. Her arms loose around Kiam. He reaches out and tries to take her hand.

"So, you chose this world." The Dream Lord says from where he is sitting on the pilot seat. "And with only seconds left. Fair's fair. Let's warm you up." The power comes back to the Tardis. "I hope you've enjoyed your little fiction. It all came out of your imagination, so I'll leave you to ponder on that. I have been defeated. I shall withdraw. Farewell." The Dream Lord bows and then Vanishes.

"Something happened. I. What happened to me? I." Rory speaks up as the ices thaws. Amy sits up beside him and wraps her arms around him. "Oh. Oh, right. This is good. I am liking this. Was it something I said?"

"Doctor," Rose says her voice sounding desperate. "Doctor he's not breathing."

He immediately gets closer to her and Kiam and puts his hand on their son. Even though the Tardis had warmed up, Kiam's skin still felt like ice.

"Kiam," He says softly, "Come on Kiam, you're scaring Daddy. You need to wake up now." He takes Kiam from Rose and holds the limp little boy. "Come on Kiam you need to wake up now." He pulls out his sonic and scans him.

"Kiam, Kiam" Rose wails as tears start rolling down his face. "Doctor, help him." She grabs for their son. He lets her take him as he stands up and heads to the console and starts flicking switches.

"What are we doing?" John asks him.

"I'm going to blow up the Tardis." He says calmly.

"What?" Rory asks in surprise.

"You can't just blow up the Tardis, killing us, is not the answer." Amy says softly.

"Notice how helpful the Dream Lord was? Okay, there was misinformation," John says softly. "But he was always very keen to make us choose between dream and reality."

"Doctor, the Dream Lord conceded. This isn't a dream." Rory tells him.

"Yes, it is and if it isn't then I don't want to know."

"Stop him." Amy begs John.

"Star burning cold?" John says softly. "Do me a favour. The Dream Lord has no power over the real world."

"He was offering us a choice between two nightmares." He says quietly.

"How do you know that?" Amy asks.

He looks over to where Rose is clinging to Kiam. "Because I know who he is. Please John." He begs and John presses the final button filling the Tarids with a bright light.

-DW-

He opens his eyes and is happy to see he is back in his room, Rose is still sleeping soundly beside him. He pulls himself out of his bed and runs out of the room to Kiams. He holds his breath as he opens the door and looks in. Kiam is still sound asleep and he can clearly see the rise and fall of the little boys chest. He rushes over to Kiam and gathers him in his arms.

"Daddy," Kiam moans as he turns and lays his head on his shoulder. "I sleeping." Hearing footsteps behind him, he turns and sees John standing in the doorway.

"Thank you." He mouths and John salutes him, before heading out of the room. He follows him back to the console room and John leans down and picks up a small yellow speck off of the controls.

"Er, what's that?" Amy asks him.

"A speck of psychic pollen from the candle meadows of Karass don Slava." The Doctor says leaning close to look at it. "Must have been hanging around for ages. Fell in the time rotor, heated up and induced a dream state for all of us."

John takes it to the doors and opening them blows the speck out into space.

"So that was the Dream Lord then? Those little specks." Rose says coming up to him and wrapping her arms around his waist so Kiam is smashed between them.

"No, sorry, wasn't it obvious? The Dream Lord was me." He confesses. "Psychic pollen. It's a mind parasite. It feeds on everything dark in you, gives it a voice, turns it against you. I'm nine hundred and eight. It had a lot to go on."

"But why didn't it feed on us, too?" Amy inquires.

"The darkness in all of you, even with John, it would've starved to death in an instant. I choose my family and friends with great care. Otherwise, I'm stuck with my own company, and you know how that works out." He winces.

"But those things he said about you. You don't think any of that's true?" Rose says still holding him tightly. He leans down and kisses her on the head.

He doesn't answer her. "What I don't get is, we blew up the Tardis, that stopped that dream, but what stopped the Leadworth dream?"

"We crashed the camper van." She admits to him.

"Before you crashed the van, how did you know you wouldn't just die?" He wonders aloud.

"I didn't." She looks away from him.

"Oh." He takes her face in his hand and kisses her passionately.

"So, well then, where now?" John asks him, "Or should we just pop down to the swimming pool for a few lengths?"

"I don't know. Anywhere's good for me." He replies with a smile. "It's Rose's choice."

* * *

_I enjoy reviews. _


	82. Insomnia

It had been a month since the pollen had created the Dream Lord and since that time he doubted he had slept two hours.

When he did sleep those precious few minutes they were filled with nightmares. He was sitting on the floor of the broken down Midnight bus, holding his limp son in his arms. Around them Gallifrey burned with roaring flames that seemed to overtake everything but Susan's voice. His beautiful granddaughter stood in the open door of the bus holding her father's hand as the flames whipped around them and the heat burned his skin, but theirs remained untouched. She was laughing at him as she sang that Kiam had come to play with her.

He didn't know if he was awake or asleep anymore as he went through the motions of his day. He had gotten this bad before not wanting to sleep but back then there had been no one watching him and making sure he ate. He didn't know how long he had walked around in the dream like state before the regeneration energy overtook him and he had awoken to find that he had a northern accent and loved leather coats.

He was in the control room alone as the Tardis whipped through the Time Vortex. He had set the controls for random, hoping for something to distract his mind. He didn't know when he fell asleep, but when he opened his eyes, he was laying on his back on the steel. John, was rushing around the controls, trying to land the Tardis safely and Rose was kneeling beside him gently stroking his head.

"What the Hell were you doing," John yelled angrily. "Trying to kill us all?"

"What happened?" He asked trying to sit up as the Tardis spun around him. Instead he placed his head on Rose's leg and tried to figure out if the spinning was in his mind, or if the Tardis was out of control. The others seemed to be fine, so he closed his eyes, hoping the spinning would stop.

"You passed out." John stated manner of factly.

"Is he all right." Rose asked worried.

"He just needs to sleep." John sighed as he reset the coordinates on the Tardis.

"Where's Kiam?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Amy and Rory have him in the living area." Rose said softly. "We were relaxing and next thing we know the cloister bell is ringing and the lights are red."

"We almost fell out of the Time Vortex." John landed the Tardis and then turned to them. "You need to sleep." John stated again.

"Can't sleep, too much to do." He replied.

John's voice grew gentle as he knelt down beside him. "I know you're afraid but you need to sleep. You will feel a lot better once you do." He opened his eyes and looked at John. He was surprised to see that John's eyes were full of concern. "You going to get up now?" John asked him.

He nodded and then took John's hand and let him pull him to his feet. He swayed but managed to keep his feet. "Where are we?" He asked John.

"New New York. Rose was telling Amy and Rory about it and Amy is eager to see it." John grinned at him.

"We spend too much time here," He shook his head at Rose.

"I love it here." She pouted and he smiled warmly at her. He allowed John to lead him back to his bed and Rose tucked him in. She sat stroking his hair until he fell asleep. But when he woke screaming a short time later, she was nowhere in sight. Not wanting to fall asleep again he pulled himself out of bed and headed down to his science lab. He opened the door and was surprised to see John sitting in there waiting for him.

"You're suppose to be sleeping." John said casually as he flipped through the pages of a book.

"Can't sleep." He replied sitting down hard in a chair. "Are the rest out?"

"Yep, Rose left as soon as you were asleep." John looked up from the book. "You can't keep going like this. I know it is the nightmares keeping you up but you need to sleep. The last time we were this bad was right after the Time War."

"I know, but every time I close my eyes I hold his limp body against mine." He admitted looking down.

"Which was a dream. Regardless of how real it felt, it was a dream." John told him.

"I can't lose him." He felt the tears coming and tried to hold them back. "I all ready lost our other children and my beloved Susan. I can't go through that again." He was surprised when he felt John wrap his arms around him and hug him tightly before holding him at arms length.

"I can't promise you that you never will lose him, we both know better than that. I can promise you that I will do everything in my power to help you keep him safe." John said.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." John went and sat down on the desk. "Can I ask you a question and you be honest with me?"

"I'll try."

"I thought you hated me, but it has been almost two months now and you still haven't left me somewhere. Why?"

"I don't hate you. I don't like when you flirt with Rose, but I don't hate you."

"You said you don't trust me."

"I didn't but you have given me no reason not too." He sighed. "If you want me too, I will drop you off, or you can continue to travel with me for awhile. It is up to you."

"It depends, I was looking through the Tardis records and I came across the information on Lake Silencio."

"Drop it." He said warningly.

"Did you agree that I could come, so that I could go for you?"

"No one is going anywhere near it, because it isn't happening."

"It is a fixed point." John gestured to the screen, which was showing the information. "The Doctor dies at Lake Silencio, you can't change it."

"I can and I will." His voice dropped to it's deadly calm. John nodded and went back to his book. He tried to concentrate but his mind couldn't focus. So instead he just sat there and watched John. John acted like he didn't notice but then picked up another book and started to read it outloud. He closed his eyes and listened to the words and let them drown his thoughts.

When he opened his eyes again he was laying in his bed and Rose was laying beside him, Kiam snuggled up to her. He smiled and moved closer to them and closed his eyes again.


	83. Getting Ready

He landed the Tardis on a grassy knoll overlooking the city of cardiff. He looked at the monitor and waited. He could hear the others further back in the Tardis laughing and having fun. But his hearts were broken for the man he was waiting for. John came into the room and looked at the concern on his face.

"Is it that time all ready?" John asked and the Doctor nodded. "He is going to want to know why."

"Why what?" Rose asked as she came into the room with Kiam.

"He understands about fixed points." The Doctor commented. "I just have to fix his vortex manipulator and then he will be on his way. He will bring them regardless of whether or not he understands why."

"But just a few days ago you were telling me it is never going to happen. What changed your mind?"

"Hello." Rose spoke up. "I'm still not understanding what is going on here."

Both men continued to ignore her. "The Brigadier is dead. I always think that time can't catch up to me." He stopped and ran his hands down his face as he looked at Rose and then Kiam. "But once again I am proven wrong."

"But you don't have to die to prove it." John snapped.

"Doctor what is he talking about." Rose asked now sounding upset.

"It doesn't concern you Rose," He said casually.

"I am your wife and the mother of your child and you are talking about dying." She said angrily. "Don't you dare tell me it doesn't concern me."

"You're right. I'm sorry." He looked at the monitor and saw Jack coming up the hill to the Tardis. "I'll explain everything in a minute. Just stay here." He walked over to the doors and stepped out leaving them open just a crack behind him.

"Doctor," Jack remarked, "Strange place to meet."

"I have a favor to ask of you." He looked Jack in the eye.

"Straight to the point." Jack mumbled but then said louder. "Anything."

"I need you to go and pick Rose and Kiam up from the London Market and then take them to Lake Silencio, Utah." He pulled a blue envelope from his pocket. "Here are the details."

Jack opened the envelope and read the coordinates and times. "Any reason you can't do it." Jack asked casually.

The Doctor just smiled at Jack and pulled out his sonic. "Let me see your wrist." Jack looked confused as he sonicked the vortex manipulator. "There you are." He put the sonic away.

"I thought you didn't trust me to time travel." Jack said suspiciously. "What changed."

"It'll all be clear soon enough." He smiled and turned to head back onto the Tardis. "Don't forget Rose and Kiam and please don't be late." He stepped on board and closed the doors tightly behind him.

"You can't," Rose shook her head in disbelief. "You can't seriously be thinking of going there."

He stepped forward and went to give her a hug. "Rose," He started.

"Don't you Rose me." She snapped. "You are heading to your death and you expect me to be okay with it."

"Mama," Kiam said sounding confused.

"Oh sweetheart." Rose dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around Kiam. "Mama forgot you were in the room, Daddy just made her so angry." She glared at him.

He dropped to his knees beside Rose and Kiam. "It's okay, Daddy is not going to die." He told Kiam.

"No?" Rose asked.

"No," He responded and kissed her lips.

"So who is?" John spoke up. "Because the information clearly states that the Doctor dies at Lake Silencio and you just sent Jack on his way to Lake Silencio therefore putting the event in motion."

"You're right I did." He nodded at John. "Still doesn't mean that I am going to die. It said the Doctor dies. It didn't say that was me."

"I'm not going to die for you." John crossed his arms and glared at him.

"And I wouldn't dream of asking you or anybody else to die for me."

"Then what are you planning?" John asked him curiously.

He smiled at winked at John and then pulled the lever to send the Tardis into the Vortex. He landed again and handed a blue envelope to Rose. "Take this into the guards and please ask them to deliver it at once." She took it from him and stepped off the Tardis.

"You are crossing your own timeline. Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?" John hissed at him. "There will be sever consequences for your actions."

"Oh I would imagine so." He smiled at John. "In fact I am counting on it."

"I could.." John began but he was interrupted by the Doctor. "How would you like to go see Jenny?"

"Jenny?" John asked.

"Yeah, our daughter Jenny. She is currently living in the 1800's with her wife Vastra. How would you like to meet her?" He asked John and then looked at Rose as she came back on board.

"It's done." She commented.

"Right, so I am going to take the group to see Jenny and then pop off for a bit." He said as he piloted the Tardis.

"And you are going to die." Rose said dryly.

"Nope, not going to die, but I am going to a fixed point." he smiled at her. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then there is nothing to worry about."


	84. Lake Silencio

He landed the Tardis in 1888 London. "Alright everybody off," He called out.

"You don't have to be rude." Amy said snidely as she came over and gave him a hug. "Be safe." She whispered. She released him and Rory stepped forward and shook his hand.

"We will see you tonight," Rory released his hand and took Amys and went to the Tardis doors. Rose flung herself into his arms.

"You better come back, you hear me." She said and pressed her lips firmly to his, kissing him passionately, until John cleared his throat. Pulling back she looked embarrassed and he smoothed his hair back.

"Right," he leaned down to Kiam. "You be a good boy for Mummy and I will be back in time to read you a story okay?" Kiam nodded happily and followed Rose to the Tardis doors. She opened them and the four of them stepped out leaving him alone on with John.

"You plan on dying don't you?" John asked him. "You just lied to them when you said you would be safe."

"Rule one," He said looking John in the eyes.

"Don't wander off?" John asked confused.

"No, The Doctor lies. Take good care of them for me. Rose may not accept you at first but give her time and she will come around. The Tardis will return to you after I am gone. Do me a favor and give her to Kiam when he is old enough." He pulled John into a hug and after a moment John hugged him back. "I never hated you." He told John honestly.

"I know," John responded and pulled back, quickly wiping his eyes.

"Dad," Jenny stuck her head on board and looked at the two men. "Are you coming?"

"I'll be right out," John replied and Jenny nodded moving out of sight again.

"Go, take care of your family." The Doctor said and watched John cross the control room. John stopped at the door and saluted the Doctor before stepping off and closing the doors tightly behind him. The Doctor ran his hands over his face and took a deep breath before setting the coordinates on the Tardis. He sent her into the Time Vortex and landed at the museum. He walked quickly over to the Cyberman's head and placed the envelope before returning to the Tardis.

This time he landed her in Utah. He headed to the kitchen and put together a picnic before stepping out. He rented a car and drove to the coordinates that he had given the others. He climbed up on the hood of the car and watched several cars pass before finally a school bus stopped and when it pulled away Jack and Rose were standing there with a younger Kiam.

"Howdy." He called out and Rose came across the road carrying Kiam and shaking her head at him.

"You drop me off to shop for a wedding dress and then Jack here shows up and says you told him to come get us and take us to Utah." Rose scolded him and pulled him into a hug. "I really don't get you sometimes." She kissed him, before handing him Kiam. He looked at Kiam curiously and was amazed at how small he seemed.

"Doctor," Jack nodded at him.

"Jack." He nodded back.

"Hello Sweetie," He heard River say and turned to look at her.

"River," He said happily. "Alright everyone into the car."

"You're driving?" Rose asked him hesitantly.

"Of course I am driving, I can drive." He defended himself.

"I know it's just I've seen you drive the Tardis." Jack chuckled as he scowled.

"Just get in." He pouted and drove them to the small diner that he had met them in the first time. He wasn't quite ready to go to the beach and wanted to postpone it as long as possible. They got a booth and all sat down to enjoy drinks. River pulled out her Diary and looked up at him.

"Right then, where are we? Have we done Easter Island yet?" She asked.

"Yes," He replied, "We've been to Easter Island."

Rose looked at him confused. "When?" She asked.

He quickly changed the subject. "Tonight, I'm going to need you all with me."

"Very cryptic," Rose murmured.

"Okay. We're here. What's up?" Jack asked him and he smiled at Jack's willingness to accept what was going on. He just hoped he could continue to accept it with John.

"A picnic. And then a trip. Somewhere different, somewhere brand new." He told them.

"Where," Rose asked excited.

"Space, 1969." He responded.

-DW-

They sat on the blanket on the lake. He had Kiam curled up on his lap and Rose was leaning comfortably against him. He hoped more than anything that she would learn to be happy again. He fingered his ring and then realizing he was still wearing it, quickly slipped it off and into his pocket. She looked at him suspiciously but he grabbed the bottle of wine and poured three glasses and handed them around.

"Napoleon gave me this bottle. Well, I say gave. Threw." He looked at the bottle fondly for a moment. "Salud!" He said finally.

"Salud." They said back and all took a sip as he took a long drink from the bottle.

"So, when are going to 1969?" Jack asked him.

"And why are you drinking so much wine." Rose asked curiously as he downed half the bottle. He looked at her sheepishly.

"I'm just relaxing," He responded, turning to look out at the lake. "Ah, the moon. Look at it. Of course, you lot did a lot more than look, didn't you? Big, silvery thing in the sky. You couldn't resist it. Quite right." He took another drink from the bottle.

"The moon landing was in 69. Is that where we're going?" Rose asked excitedly.

"No. A lot more happens in 69 than anyone remembers. Human beings. I thought I'd never get done saving you." He leans over and kisses the top of her head as he sees a truck pull up and stop nearby. A man gets out of the truck and he looks at him confused for a moment before waving to the man.

"Who's he?" Jack asks but before he can answer he hears River gasp.

"Oh, my God." She says and he stands up and looks out at the lake to see a spacesuit standing in the water with the lake up to its knees. He hands Kiam over to Rose and kisses her on the lips again and then Kiam on the head before stepping off the blanket and towards the figure.

"You all need to stay back. Whatever happens now, you do not interfere." He told them stopping and looking each one in the eye.  
"Clear?" He asked them all and they nodded.

He walked down to the lake and looked at the astronaut standing in front of him. "Hello. It's okay. I know it's you." He tells it and he watches as the visor lifts up and he confirms his knowledge as he looks into the tearful eyes of River.

"Well, then. Here we are at last." He tells her.

"I can't stop it. The suit's in control." She tells him, her voice shaky.

"You're not supposed to." He whispers, "this has to happen."

"Run." She says desperately.

"I did run." He looked up the beach and saw the others still watching confused. "Running brought me here." He looked back at River.

"I'm trying to fight it, but I can't. It's too strong." She sounded desperate and he felt bad for what he was making her do, but he had already made up his mind.

"I know. It's okay. This is where I die. This is a fixed point. This must happen. This always happens." He tried to comfort her. "Don't worry. You won't even remember this. Look over there." He points up the beach and her eyes look where he is pointing.

"That's me. How can I be there?" She sounded confused.

"That's you from the future, serving time for a murder you probably can't remember. My murder." He explains calmly.

"Why would you do that? Make me watch?" She asked him in horror.

"So that you know this is inevitable. And you are forgiven. Always and completely forgiven." He says softly.

"Please, please, please just run!" She begs him.

"I can't." He responds as he watches her arm lift and point at him.

"Time can be rewritten." She tries one more time.

"Don't you dare. Goodbye, River." He winks at her and then closes his eyes and spreads his arms. He feels the first hit directly to his right heart and then several more zaps after that. He staggers and opens his eyes as he watches the regeneration energy take over his hand and spread quickly up his arm. He hears Rose screaming and turns his head to look at her.

"I'm sorry," He whispers as he gives into the energy. His arms go taunt and he feels the changes start. He hears one final shot and then the world goes black.


	85. Eleven

He awoke feeling comfortable on a soft surface. He opened his eyes a crack and saw that he was in his room, in his bed. He wanted to pull the blankets up and get the hair off his forehead but he was comfortable. He closed his eyes completely again and tried to go back to sleep. His body shuddered and he opened his mouth and released his breath roughly.

"Is he going to be okay," He heard Rose ask someone as two sets of footsteps entered the room.

"He had a really rough regeneration. Not only had he been dead for several minutes, he also had an excess of regeneration energy built up. I hate to think what would have happened to the Tardis if he had been on board her." John replied. He felt the bed move and a cool cloth was placed against his sweaty head. He groaned.

"Hey, don't wake up quite yet. You need to sleep." Rose whispered and the room fell silent. After a little while the voices started again. "So how come I don't remember us arriving." Rose sounded concerned.

"Because River, and I wiped your memories in order to avoid a paradox that could rip time itself apart." John replied.

"I still can't believe he just intended to die." Rose scoffed. "He is going to get an earful for that later."

"Just go easy on him Rose," John responded. "He has to make hard decisions sometimes to save the universe. He doesn't consider his life more important than everyone elses and he shouldn't."

"I know." he felt a kiss on his cheek and then the bed moved as Rose stood up again.

"Come on, let's leave him to sleep." She said and the footsteps retreated. He lay there in the silence until sleep overtook him again.

-DW-

He awoke again and cried out in pain as his body twisted in ways he shouldn't have been able to bend. He opened his eyes and watched as a golden mist escaped his lips. As the twisting stopped he jumped out of bed and stumbled. He started to examine his new body.

"Legs. I've still got legs." He said in an unfamiliar voice as he grabbed his knee and pulled it up to. "Good. Arms. Hands. Ooo, fingers. Lots of fingers." He didn't bother to count them as he wiggled them in front of his face, excited to see that he had lots of fingers on both hands. He moved those long fingers to his face. "Ears, yes. Eyes, two. Nose, I've had worse." He frowned at how long his nose was and then again when he examined his chin. "Chin, blimey."

But it was when he moved up to his hair that he began to panic. "Hair. I'm a girl!" He cried out as he pulled at his hair and realized how long it was. His hands quickly released his hair and went to his throat. He felt relieved to feel an Adam's apple. "No. No. I'm not a girl." His hands went back to his hair and he pulled it down to look at the color. He quickly became disappointed. "Still not ginger." He sighed.

He crossed the room quickly and went out the doors to the wardrobe. He opened the doors and entered. He shut them tightly behind him and crossed to the full length mirror. Examining himself he was surprised to see that he was a little shorter but his body looked lankier than before.

He thought for a moment, to a conversation that Rose, Martha and Mickey were having aboard the Tardis. She had said he would be lankier and here he was. He shook his head, Rose had affected his regeneration again. He thought about what else had been said. "Bowties." He suddenly exclaimed.

He opened a drawer and chose a red bowtie and gently held it. It had been a while since he had worn one and now it seemed right. He chose a pair of blue trousers and a pair of red braces. He slipped on a white shirt with red pinstripes and then put on the braces. He carefully placed the bow tie around his neck and adjusted it so it was straight. He needed one more thing, to make his new outfit complete. He looked through his jackets, until he found one that made him smile. It was a tweed Jacket. He slipped it on and looked in the mirror again.

"I need a fez." He commented as he sat down and pulled on a pair of black boots. He laced them up and then headed out of the wardrobe down to the control room. As he entered the four of them looked up at him and Rose burst into laughter.

"Oh my god, he is dressed like my granddad. Mickey owes me." She started to laugh harder.

"So Doctor what's with the outfit." John asked him casually and he frowned and his hand moved to his bow tie again.

"Bow ties are cool." He stated adjusting it again."

"If you say so." Amy responded.

"I am going to wet myself." Rose gasped from the floor.

"Daddy," Kiam asked sounding unsure. He got down on one knee in front of him and held out his arms. Kiam came close but stood far enough away that the Doctor couldn't reach him.

"Hey it's still me." He said softly. "Daddy may look different now but I know you can feel the fact it is still me."

Kiam looked unsure as he backed up and then held onto John's leg. "He'll come around," John said as the Doctor stood up.

"What happened?" He asked John, stepping over Rose's legs and heading to the console. "I remember dying on the beach and then waking up in my bed."

"Rose figured out everything when the Tardis returned empty. We headed to the beach and with River's help brought you back and started the regeneration process. Then we modified her, Jack and Kiam's memories and sent them on their way."

"Thank you." He told John. "Don't do it again." He added as an afterthought.

"Don't you lie to me again," Rose said standing up and wiping the tears from her face.

"Does that mean you are staying." He asked her hopefully and in response she leaned over and kissed him. "So bowties are cool."

"Definitely not." She chuckled. "But I could get use to it."


	86. Adjusting

"When did rule one become the Doctor lies?" Rose asked him curiously. He fidgeted with his bow tie. "Is that your new nervous habit?"

"Is what?" He asked and she reached up and put her hand on his. "Maybe, I don't know yet, still cooking." He said quickly and turned away. "Let's go somewhere."

"Answer me. John told me everything when the Tardis came back empty. When did rule one become the Doctor lies?"

"It's always been a rule. How about we go to Barcelona, you loved Barcelona."

"Well don't teach our son that rule. He is going to have a hard enough time as it is."

"He'll be fine." He replied quickly. "He can tell it's me. Time Lords always can."

"I know he will get use to you having a different face. That isn't what I mean. What I mean is, he is growing up, traveling all of space and time. What if one day he settles down to get a proper education, he can't very well talk about everything he has seen or done. They would lock him up. He needs to know he can always trust his father." Rose says softly.

"Alright."

"So first things first, I think you should go apologize to Captain Jack."

"But that happened years..." He started to say and the look on Rose's face stopped him. Silently he changed he coordinates on the Tardis and pulled the lever.

He landed the Tardis on the rift and not even a minute later the doors opened. "Doctor," Jack exclaimed looking at John. "Is it a party."

"He's the Doctor," John pointed at him.

"He is not the Doctor," Jack replied.

"I am the Doctor," He pouted.

"He is," Rose giggled. "Oh, my god. Where is Mickey, he owes me?" She ran to the Captain and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before running off the Tardis calling for Mickey.

"What happened?" Jack asked him.

"Lake Silencio." He responded.

"This moron decided to get himself killed." Amy added. "And what is with the bow tie. Is it a cry for help?"

"Bow ties are cool, right Rory."

"Don't get me involved." Rory responded and John jumped.

"I forgot you were there. You should really talk more." John said jokingly.

Rose stepped onboard with Mickey in tow and Martha following close behind. "See he is dressed like my granddad and thinks bowties are cool. You owe me." She giggled.

"Since everyone is onboard, Rose close the doors. I have the perfect place in mind." He said ignoring them and eying John who nodded. Together they sent the Tardis on it's way.

-DW-

"So where are we?" Mickey asked as the Tardis landed.

"It's when are we," Martha chided him laughing.

"We are on Anura about 2 million years in the past. Right now the Anurans live under the surface and the planet is free from any land dwelling inhabitants." John replied.

"What do the Anurans look like?" Amy asked curiously.

"Toads, now come on everyone off." He waved them out the door. The sun beat down brightly on a planet that almost looked earthlike. Except for the fact the water was just a slightly brighter blue and the sand had hints of purple. He took Kiam's hand and exited the Tardis ahead of everyone else and headed down to the water's edge.

Kiam hesitated as the Doctor sat down and took off his boots and then helped Kiam take off his own shoes.

"The water cold." Kiam whispered.

"I know, but that's okay. You just have to go in quickly and soon you won't notice." He offered Kiam his hand again and Kiam took it and smiled up at him. "Ready," He asked and Kiam nodded. "Geronimo."

"You could at least take his shirt and your.. oh never mind." Rose called out from further up.

"Come on in dear, the water's fine." He called up to Rose.

"I'm fine up here. I'll just be talking to Martha if you need me." Rose called back.

"Alright Kiam, let's see what we can find." He said happily to his son.

-DW-

The fire burned brightly as the group sat around it. The evening had turned cold quickly after the sun had set and the fire gave a welcome warmth. The sound of the waves gently lapping the beach further down gave the beach a relaxing feel.

He sat with Rose between his legs, her back leaning against his chest and his arms wrapped around her. Kiam was dozing with his head on her legs. Nearby Amy and Rory also sat enjoying the fire with Mickey and Martha. A little further on Jack was trying to convince John that skinny dipping at night was fun and he promised he wouldn't look, much.

"Everyone is out here," He whispered, "We could go in and be alone."

"I can't yet." She whispered back.

"Why not," He sounded disappointed now.

"Because just like Kiam, I know it's you, but I almost feel as though I am cheating on you at the moment." She turned to look at him as his face fell. He quickly tried to cover it but the hurt was still there. She kissed him gently on the lips and he smiled briefly at her. "I love you."

"I love you," He responded and pulled her tighter to him. Surrounded by everyone he loved, he realized what he had almost given up early in the day. "I'm sorry." He said as he buried his face in her hair.

"It will be okay," She responded not quite understanding what he was apologizing for. "We got through worse, we can get through this." He turned his head toward hers and kissed her passionately,"

"Then maybe I can show you the stars." he added seductively.

"Oh Doctor," Rose groaned.

"People are watching," Amy called over.

"If you don't like it turn your back," He responded but Rose laughed and turned around and pulled Kiam up on her lap before standing up.

"I am going to go put him to bed. In about ten minutes I will be in ours." She kissed his head. "Maybe we will see those stars tonight."


	87. The Malmooth

_Anybody who has read my other stories might recognize this next chapter. It is almost identical to a story I was working on and have decided to abandon. In fact you may find some of it is identical because I copy and pasted some of the chapters and modified them to fit this story instead. Also to answer anyone who maybe wondering how he regenerated, I am not quite sure either, that part got away from me. I knew I wanted him to regenerate at Lake Silencio and that River would have a part but I thought on it quite awhile and couldn't think of a solution I liked. After much consideration I decided just to be vague with it and let you draw your own conclusions. _

_Back to the story._

* * *

That night, he lay curled next to Rose for a good part of an hour, trying to sleep, but try as he might sleep eluded him. Finally he gave up and rolled on his back to stare at the dark ceiling. Rose was still sound asleep when he left her. He dressed quickly and headed to the control room. Walking into it he wasn't surprised to see Jack and John but he was surprised to see River.

"When did you show up?" He asked her.

"About an hour ago, sweetie." She responded.

"Most people say hello." Jack scolded though his words were slurred. He looked over at them and saw the almost empty bottle of whiskey sitting between the three.

"Are the others back on board yet?" He asked John.

"I think so?" John leaned forward slightly and blinked quickly. "Maybe." John clarified.

"Yes," River responded to the question but didn't sound sure either.

"Yes," John chanted triumphantly lifting the bottle and then taking another drink.

He raised his eyebrows at them and then headed to the library. The Tardis would be fine where it was until morning.

-DW-

"So, where should we go now?" The Doctor asked as they sat around the table eating breakfast.

"I want to know how you can eat that?" Rose had her face scrunched up and had pushed her bowl of oatmeal away.

"What's wrong with fish fingers and custard?" He asked her, "Kiam likes it." He pouted, as Kiam sat on his lap sharing his breakfast. Kiam smiled at her and picked up another fish finger, dunked it, and took a big bite. Rose shook her head.

"How about Asgard," John suggested.

"I had a picnic there once," River answered sipping her coffee.

"Early Malcassairo" Jack said. The Doctor looked at him surprised. "I mean we've seen how it ends, I want to see how they lived."

"Alright off to visit the conglomeration of the Malmooth."

-DW-

The Doctor and John landed the Tardis in silence. "River stop touching the hand break," He snapped as he turned it back on.

There was a mad rush towards the door but he stopped them as he called out, "Jack's idea, he gets to open it." The others looked disappointed but listened as Jack took River's hand and went to the blue doors. They opened upon a lush green field under a bright red sun. He took Kiam's hand and smiled at Rose as they exited the Tardis last and he closed the door tightly behind them.

"Where is the conglomeration?" River asked.

He let go of Kiam's hand held up his finger and turned. Stopping he said, "About an hour's walk that way." He pointed to what looked like a small mound in the distance. The walk to the conglomeration was filled with laughter and soon enough the conglomeration stood majestically in front of them. All around Malmooth and humans went about their lives. They strolled in, easily blending in with the others. Rose looked over the side and gasped. The conglomeration stretched clear down into the earth with bridges spanning in between. Everywhere was busy.

Rose no longer able to contain her excitement rushed forward and grabbed the Doctor's hand. "I want to go explore down there."

"Alright" he replied. Finding steps he started down them with Kiam and Rose. Noticing the others weren't behind him he stopped. "Coming?"

"No," Jack said, "River and I are going to explore on our own."

"John, Rory, and Me are going to look around up here." Amy added.

"Mickey and I are going to see what that building in the center is." Martha replied.

"Okay," He said. Looking at his watch. "We'll meet back here in three hours."

The others checked the time and then headed off as, they started down the the steps to the lower part of the city again. It was a long walk and the stairs were so narrow in places that they had to walk single file, with Kiam in the middle, each of them holding a hand tightly. The lower they got the less the city was taken care of. The bright clean buildings of the upper city gave way to the crumbling dark stone. The stairs lost there railings and gave way to narrow steps.

Until finally they had reached the bottom of the city. It was colder down here with little to no sunlight. The stone ground looked as worn down as the buildings that surrounded them. Everything was dirty including the people who inhabited the area. One thing Rose noticed right away was the lack of the Malmooth, only humans lived in these lower reaches of the city. She took the Doctor's hand and he pulled her close to him as he leaned down and picked up Kiam. She was shivering as they walked further into the underground city.

"Would you like my jacket," He asked concerned.

"No, I'm not cold." She sounded distant and wasn't looking at him.

He turned to where she was staring and saw a group of children playing. They all had dark hair and elongated faces and were wearing rags that barely covered their bodies. One little girl turned and smiled at them. She had spiked teeth.

"Be careful," He told Rose as they walked slowly. "I've seen these people before. There called the Futurekind."

They headed deeper into the city. The sunlight gave way to torches that periodically lined the houses. There were a few people out but besides the children they saw hardly anyone. They made it to a center square. In the middle of the square another group of children were playing a game of chase, that reminded him of the hunt he had seen last time they were here.

"Can play, Daddy," Kiam asked him quietly as they watched the children.

"No, we'll find other children you can play with later, okay." He responded, moving his eyes to look at Kiam but keeping his head still. Kiam nodded silently.

They watched as the children chased the smaller child until one caught up to him and grabbed him roughly causing him to fall hard onto the pavement. The children then whooped as they gathered the child up and carried him off into the darkness on the other side. Rose gripped his hand tightly.

"Doctor" she whispered finally. "Let's go back up and find the others."

"Are you okay." He asked softly.

"I want to go home." she said and he let go of her hand as he pulled her to him with his free arm and kissed her head.

"Alright," He agreed and took her hand again as together they quietly headed back towards the stairs. They reached the narrow stairs and he released her hand again and sat down Kiam. He looked over his shoulder and saw the children gathering again. He took Kiam's hand tightly in his and they started the long walk back up the stairs.

"Ah, sunlight" He said happily when they finally reached the level they came in on. Everyone was still rushing about, oblivious, or not concerned with what was growing in the under part of the city. Rose sat down on a nearby bench and pulled Kiam onto her lap, holding onto him tightly. He watched her for a moment before he leaned on the railing next to it and stared down into the depths of the city. From up here you could barely see the last level.

John came back first with Amy and Rory. John took one look at the Doctor and a questioning look crossed his face. He mouth the word later and John nodded.

"Doctor," Amy said happily. "They have little shops, you use to love little shops." She held up a cloth bag stuffed full of items.

"Maybe another time." He responded as Mickey came back with Martha. They waited another half hour and still there was no sign of Jack and River. "Where are they," He sighed.

"I haven't seen them since we split up." Rory spoke up. But even as he spoke the duo appeared. River was giggling and Jack's face was red.

"What happened?" John asked curious and Jack mumbled something that sounded like bushes and making out.

"Now can we go?" Rose abruptly interrupted and started to head out of the city, pulling Kiam behind her.

"Allons-y," John whispered.

"Geronimo." He replied and they followed her. "We should get back to the Tardis before it gets dark anyways." he said.

Safely, back by the Tardis they stopped to watch the sun setting in the sky. The colors of the sunset danced across the sky as the darkness took over and the stars began to shine. He watched kind of sadly. His thoughts drifted back to when the sky was dark with no stars and no sun.

"What's the matter," John asked concerned. The Doctor took Rose in his arms, Her back pressed against his chest and his head leaning against hers.

"Just remembering the last time I was here. When we got here there was no stars. Well it was a 100 trillion years in the future. They had all burnt out. The last of the humans were gathering, waiting to be taken to Utopia, where the sky had diamonds in the sky. But just like now Utopia's a myth. We thought at the time that the conglomeration had all died out due to time but now I'm not so sure." He kissed Rose softly on the head as he went quiet.

"How about supper," Amy said breaking the silence that followed. "Martha, River coming."

"Can we have fish fingers and custard," he asked hopefully.

"Not until you can explain the bowtie." Amy responded cheekily before disappearing inside.

"Are you sure you're okay," He asked Rose.

"I'm fine," She responded.

"Is this like when I tell you I'm fine but you know I'm really not." He asked.

"Maybe."

"In that case, I'm fine too."


	88. Why?

_Guest: The Malmooth were from the episode Utopia and from chapter 13 of this story. _

* * *

It was with great reluctance that he landed on the Cardiff rift.

"Cardiff," He announced. Martha and Mickey were the first over to him. "Off you pop. Next time I arrive I expect babies." He told them.

"You better come around more often than that," Martha replied wrapping him into a hug.

"Boss," Mickey nodded at him and he nodded back and watched as they left.

River crossed the room and stopped at the doors. "Do contact Mummy, she misses you." She told him. "Goodbye sweetie."

"Until next time." He responded and she disappeared as well. Jack came in next.

"How does Ianto feel about River?" He asked curiously.

"As long as I come home to him, he is fine with her." Jack looked down. "He deserves better." He shook his head and then looked back up at him. "Doctor," He saluted.

"Captain," He saluted back and Jack left. He started to set the coordinates on the Tardis when John entered with Amy and Rory. All three were carrying bags. He looked at John confused.

"I am not saying goodbye forever, but when living in Pete's world I got use to a more normal life, I must get that from Donna. Jack has agreed that I can come work with him for awhile." John explained. "Plus my Tardis needs room to grow and fuel and the rift is perfect for that." He pulled the Doctor into a hug and released it quickly.

"Right," John said wiping his face as Amy hugged the Doctor next.

"Take care of yourself." She whispered.

"I will. My Amelia Pond." He responded as he hugged her back tightly. He let go and watched sadly as the three of them exited the Tardis. He stood watching the monitor for a moment, giving them a chance to return before he sent the Tardis into the vortex. He quickly landed it in orbit around a planet before searching the Tardis for its remaining two inhabitants.

He found them in the living area sitting on the floor at the coffee table. In front of them was a primary workbook and Kiam was on his knees, leaning on the table, trying to write his letters, under the watchful eyes of Rose.

"Is everybody gone," She asked looking up at him. He nodded as he flopped upside down on the couch with his knees hooked up onto the back.

"Where to now," He asked.

"This new body of yours is a lot more restless than the last." Rose commented as she turned her attention back to Kiam. "How about a nice relaxing night in, instead. We can have dinner, watch a movie and after Kiam goes to bed, we can talk."

"Why?" He asked her.

"Because I am trying to understand." She paused a moment. "Kiam, sweetheart. Go play in your room for a little while and mummy will come get you later."

"OKay mummy," Kiam responded, standing up. "Daddy in trouble."

"Very," He muttered and Kiam ran over and kissed him on the head before leaving the room. As soon as he was out of sight Rose started in on him again.

"You were willing to give up everything for what?" She asked him, "You have me, Kiam, Jenny, Amy, Martha, Donna, John, River, Jack, Sarah Jane and countless other who love you and yet you still went to that beach. To make it worse you lied to me. You told me you weren't going to die and you told Kiam you would be home for his story."

"I had to go."

"You had to try to commit suicide." Rose sounded appalled.

"I didn't try anything." He responded and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Because I found out that unless I died the silence would continue to come after me." He turned around and sat up on the couch and folded his hands beneath his chin. "There was a prophecy that was spoken amongst the silence that went: On the Fields of Trenzalore, at the fall of the Eleventh, when no living creature can speak falsely, or fail to answer, a question will be asked. A question that must never, ever be answered."

"What question?"

"The first question. The oldest question in the universe, hidden in plain sight."

"But what was the question? Why did it mean your death?" Rose asked concerned.

"Suppose there was a man who knew a secret. A terrible, dangerous secret that must never be told. How would you erase that secret from the world? Destroy it forever, before it can be spoken."

"You would have to kill them?" Rose replied slowly.

"And silence would fall. All the times I've heard those words, I never realised it was my silence, my death. The Doctor will fall." He responded leaning back. "When I received the news about the Brigadier I realized there was no point in running anymore. Everything was falling into place."

"Alright, so why invite us to watch you die."

"Because I had to die, the prophecy never said I had to die alone." He responded. "I was amazed at how young Kiam looked but you, Jack and River looked exactly the same."

He turned to look at her as it finally hit him. "You don't age." He whispered.

"Well of course I age. It has been about eight years since we first met."

"Yes, yes, you've gotten older, that's not what I mean." He rambled quickly.

"I don't understand then," She told him confused.

"You don't age," He said again and tried to stand up quickly, tripped over his feet and slammed to the ground. He stood up looking dazed and ran out of the room, stumbling over nothing in the process. From inside the living area he heard Rose mumble. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the oncoming storm."


	89. The Lodger

"You need to come and eat," Rose informed the Doctor as she entered the Medibay.

"Can't eat busy," He didn't even look up from his work as he pointed his sonic in her direction and scanned her.

"You're not going to start that again." She huffed.

"Start what?"

"Scanning me every five minutes to see if something has changed."

"I don't do that." His ears turned red and she chuckled as he fixed his bow tie. "I don't understand it though. I have ran every test I can think of and have had Jack and Vastra look as well. River knows but she won't tell me." He turned to look at Rose. "You're human."

"Yes."

"You came back from a parallel world after the walls had closed. You don't age and you healed after you were dead." He stood up and walked towards her and grabbed both of her arms in his hands. He narrowed his eyes at her. "It's not possible." He released her arms and then gently placed his hands to her temples.

"Let me in," He whispered, closing his eyes.

"What are you looking for?"

"Information, now hush," He replied quickly.

"I'm starting to feel queasy."

"That's cause you're pregnant. Hush."

"I'm pregnant." She responded surprised. He didn't reply. After a moment she spoke again. "When did you find this out?"

"When I scanned you, now please don't talk."

"You don't sound happy about it."

"I am happy, very happy." He dropped his hands and turned away from her. Moving quickly he went to the other side of the medi-bay and sat down at another machine. Rose followed him.

"How far?" She asked curiously and he sighed and turned to look at her.

"About a month."

"So it was before you changed."

"Yes." He looked her in the eye. "Would you still be happy if it was after?"

Rose took him firmly in her arms and kissed his head. "You're still you." She said burying her face into his chest.

"I'm still me." He replied finally hugging her back.

-DW-

He materialized the Tardis in a small park across the road from a group of houses. Taking Kiam's hand he stepped off the Tardis and looked back into it. "No, Rose, it's definitely not the fifth moon of Cindie Colesta. I think I can see a Ryman's." He called back inside as Kiam giggled.

Suddenly an explosion threw him to the ground and instinctively he tried to protect his son from it. That's when he heard the sound of the Tardis dematerializing.

"Rose," He cried out. "Rose." His pocket began to vibrate and he reached in it, surprised to find a cell phone.

"When did you put a cell phone in my coat?" He asked her, momentarily forgetting the issue at hand.

"Earlier." She huffed. "Now can we focus on the issue at hand." She asked as the Tardis shook.

"Right, Yes." He rubbed his head. "What does the monitor say?"

"I can't read it."

"Look below the monitor, you see that red button?"

"Yes."

"Press it." He told her and held his breath.

"Doctor? It's saying we're on Earth. Essex, Colchester. Why isn't it always like this?"

"Because it's my Tardis..." He started to say but was quickly interrupted.

"Doctor? It's taking off again. Doctor, can you hear me?"

"I can hear you Rose," He said as calmly as possible. "We will figure this out."

"I love you."

"I love you." As calmly as he could over the course of the next hour, he tried to talk Rose through landing the Tardis, using every trick he had come up with. But the Tardis failed to Materialize.

"This would be easier if you hadn't thrown the manual in a bloody supernova," She said angrily after another failed attempt.

"Manual was wrong anyways." He replied.

He felt a tug on his jacket and looked down to see Kiam staring up at him. "Daddy, I'm hungry." He announced.

"Not now," He said.

"It's not working anyways." Rose said over the phone. "Go and get Kiam and yourself some lunch and we can try again."

"You're sure?"

"She seems to just be sitting here for the moment. I'll be fine." He closed the phone and looked at Kiam.

"I wonder if we can find fish fingers and custard?" He said happily, starting down the road as Kiam followed after him.


	90. The Lodger part 2

After the third diner they came across didn't serve fish fingers, Kiam began to complain. Rather than dragging him out the door, to find a fourth diner, he sat down instead and bought his son chips, not having anything himself. As soon as Kiam was done eating, and happier again, he re-took up his mission to find himself fish fingers and custard.

Failing that he returned to the park and tried once again to unsuccessfully talk Rose into landing the Tardis. As darkness fell and the Tardis continued to refuse to land he came back around to his original conclusion that something was blocking her. As she continued to try to land he gave Rose strict instructions to watch the scanner and let him know if anything changed.

Hanging up the phone again he turned to his son. The little boy had grown tired of playing and was lying on his back staring at the stars. He laid down on the grass next to him and Kiam pointed up.

"That one Daddy." Kiam exclaimed.

"You want to go there," He asked amused. "What's there?"

"Don't know."

"Well once we have mummy back, we'll find out." He told Kiam. He stood up and brushed himself off and then pulled Kiam up. "Up you get," He said and pulled Kiam to his feet. Together they returned to the diner and shared a banana cream pie between the two of them. Afterwards they were in the park once more and he sat beneath one of the trees and taking off his jacket, he wrapped it around Kiam and took him into his arms. He was still restless but Kiam needed to sleep.

"Close your eyes." He said softly.

"I miss mummy." Kiam whimpered.

"I know." He whispered. "But she'll be back soon enough. Did I ever tell you about the time mummy and I met the queen?"

"No," He replied.

"I had promised mummy a concert in 1979, but we landed in 1879." He began. He told him the story of how they met Queen Victoria but as he was getting to the part about the werewolf he realized Kiam had fallen asleep. Adjusting him slightly he sat with his back against the tree as he fell quiet.

"Goodnight Rose," He whispered and then sat silently and waited for morning to come.

-DW-

After speaking to Rose and confirming that the Tardis was still stuck in it's loop he sat out to find Kiam and himself breakfast. But as they passed by a small shop, an ad in the window for a flat mate caught his wasn't the ad itself but the note above it. In Rose's handwriting he read *This one no 79a Aickman Road Love Rose.*

He sent Kiam into retrieve the ad and note and then started towards the address. As he headed to his destination he stopped off and used his sonic to get money from the ATM, then bought an earpiece for his phone. After getting directions they are arrived at a two story building. Knocking on the door he waited.

A heavy set man opened the door. "I love you." The man said holding out a set of keys with a pink fluffy keychain.

"Well, that's good, because we're your new lodgers." He told the man happily and then looked at Kiam. "Do you know, this is going to be easier than I expected." Kiam nodded at him in agreement.

"But I only put the advert up today. I didn't put my address." The Man protested.

"Well, aren't you lucky we came along? More lucky than you know." As the man looked at him in doubt he decided he had to try to convince him. "Less of a young professional, more of an ancient amateur, but frankly I'm an absolute dream and my son here is quiet as a mouse and very well behaved... most of the time."

"Shouldn't he be in school?"

"Don't ..." Kiam began and he covered his mouth.

"Homeschooled." He said and then made a face as Kiam licked his hand. He pulled his hand away and wiped it on his shirt as Kiam smiled at him.

"Hang on a minute, mate. I don't know if I want you staying. And give me back those keys. You can't have those." The man protested. "Plus I only have one room and there are two of you."

"Yes, quite right. Have some rent." He told the man and held out a bag that he had filled with twenty pound notes. He wasn't that good with money being that he normally used his sonic and psychic paper to pay for things. He saw the surprise cross the man's face and realized he had probably paid too much. "That's probably quite a lot, isn't it? Looks like a lot. Is it a lot? I can never tell."

He goes into the hallway and looks up the stairs. Under the door he can see the lights are flickering. He feels Kiam grab onto his leg and he puts a protective hand on him. "Don't spend it all on sweets, unless you like sweets." He turns to look at Craig.

"I like sweets." Kiam says happily.

Remembering he hasn't greeted him properly he grabs the man's shoulders and then kisses slightly away from both of his cheeks.

"That's how we greet each other nowadays, isn't it? I'm the Doctor. Well, they call me the Doctor. I don't know why." He turns to look at the stairs again. "I call me the Doctor, too. Still don't know why and this here is Kiam."

"Craig Owens." The man says and then asks "The Doctor?"

"Yep." He doesn't bother to pay him any attention. "Who lives upstairs?"

"Just some bloke." Craig answers.

"What's he look like?" He asks curious.

"Normal. He's very quiet." Craig starts to answer but he barely pays attention as he turns and starts to head into the flat. A loud crash resounds from up the stairs. "Usually. Sorry, who are you again? Hello?"

He enters the flat and in the upper right hand corner of the ceiling is a brown patch. "Excuse me?" Craig says following him in.

"Ah. I suppose that's dry rot?" He says to Craig as he examines it.

"Or damp. Or mildew." Craig responds.

"Or none of the above." He says softly.

"I'll get someone to fix it." Craig tells him.

"No, I'll fix it. I'm good at fixing rot. Call me the Rotmeister. No, I'm the Doctor, don't call me the Rotmeister." He looks around. "This is the most beautiful parlour I have ever seen. You're obviously a man of impeccable taste. We can stay, Craig, can't we? Say we can."

"I only have one room." Craig responds.

"That's okay, we can share it. Little guy normally ends up in my bed anyways." He says excitedly.

"You haven't even seen the room."

"The room?" he asks when he realizes Craig was talking to him again.

"Your room."

"My room? Oh, yes. Our room." He exclaims happily. "Take me to our room."

"Yeah, this is Mark's old room. He owns the place. Moved out about a month ago. This uncle he'd never even heard of died and left a load of money in the will."

He looked around the room suspiciously "How very convenient. This'll do just right. In fact." He was interrupted as another loud crash sounded from above. He licked his finger and then stuck it in the air. There was a slight electricity in the air.

"No time to lose." He exclaimed. "I'll take it. Ah you'll want to see my credentials. There." He pulls out his psychic paper and shows Craig several different pieces of information before he tucked it quickly back into his pocket.

"Is that a reference from the Archbishop of Canterbury?" Craig asked in amazement.

"I'm his special favourite." He beamed at Craig. After a moment's pause he asked. "Are you hungry?" He looked towards Kiam who nodded as Craig continued to stare at him. "I'm hungry."

"I haven't got anything in." Craig tried as the three of them headed to the kitchen.


	91. The Lodger Continued

He headed into the kitchen with Kiam on his heels and stood behind Kiam as he opened the fridge and looked in.

"You've got everything I need for an omelette fines herbes, pour deux." He exclaimed pulling out the ingredients he needed and closing the fridge behind him. "So, who's the girl on the fridge?" He asked curiously.

"My friend. Sophie." Craig answered.

"Girlfriend?" He wondered as he snapped his fingers and pointed. Kiam grabbed a whisk off the counter and handed it to him.

"A friend who is a girl. There's nothing going on." Craig tried to defend himself.

"Oh, that's completely normal. Works for me."

"We met at work about a year ago, at the call center."

"Oh really, a communications exchange? That could be handy." He told Craig.

"Firm's going down though. The bosses are using a totally rubbish business model. I know what they should do. I got a plan all worked out. But I'm just a phone drone, I can't go running in saying I know best." Craig paused and looked at the two of them curiously. "Why am I telling you this? I don't even know you."

"Well, I've got one of those faces. People never stop blurting out their plans while I'm around." He explained with a mischievous grin.

"Right." Craig replied. "Where's your stuff?"

"Oh, don't worry, it'll materialize. If all goes to plan." He told Craig as he dished up three plates of eggs. He handed one to Craig and took the other two. Setting one on the coffee table he handed Kiam a fork before sitting down on the couch and starting to eat. He laughed as he watched Kiam pick the egg up with his hand and stuff it in his mouth. He tried to wipe the grin off his face as he scolded him.

"Use your fork." he told him still chuckling. "Your mother will get mad if she knows I let you use your hands." They ate the rest of the meal in silence until finally Craig leaned back and sighed.

"Oh, that was incredible. That was absolutely brilliant. Where did you learn to cook?" Craig inquired.

"Paris, in the eighteenth century. No, hang on, that's not recent, is it?" He looked at Kiam who shrugged.

"Seventh," Kiam suggested.

"No, no, no. Twentieth. Sorry, I'm not used to doing them in the right order." He apologized.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit weird?" Craig wondered out loud.

"They never really stop." He admitted. "Ever been to Paris, Craig?"

"Nah. I can't see the point of Paris. I'm not much of a traveler."

"Can tell from your sofa." Kiam told Craig.

"My sofa?"

"You look like it." Kiam said matter of factly.

"Don't be rude, apologize to Craig."

"Sorry," Kiam muttered.

"I like it here. I'd miss it." Craig informed him as he absentmindedly picked up the pink fluffy keys again and started to play with them.

"Those keys."

"What?" Craig asked. "I'm just holding them."

"Right." He drew out the word as he picked up the empty plates and piled them.

"Anyway. These, these are your keys." Craig said standing up and heading to a bowl on the table by the door. He picked up a set of keys and handed them to the Doctor.

"We can stay?" He asked happily.

"Yeah, you're weird and you can cook and your kid seems well behaved enough. It's good enough for me." He held up the keys. "Right. Outdoor, front door, your door."

"And listen, Mark and I, we had an arrangement where if you ever need me out of your hair, just give me a shout, okay?" Craig told him keeping his voice low.

"Why would I want that?" He asked Craig confused.

"In case you want to bring someone round. A girlfriend?"

He narrowed his eyes at Craig. "I happen to be happily married." He held up his hand to show his ring.

"Right, so where is the misses?"

"She will materialize when our things do." He looked away from Craig. "By the way, that. The rot. I've got the strangest feeling we shouldn't touch it." He told him. After settling Kiam down to watch cartoons on the telly, he disappeared into his room to call Rose.

"Rose," He said through the head piece as the Tardis automatically answered his call. "Rose, come in Rose." He tried. After a few minutes he was starting to get worried. "Rose are you there?"

"Doctor," She exclaimed and feedback erupted through the earpiece making him wince. "Sorry," She muttered.

"Could you not wreck my new earpiece," He asked her. "And where were you, I was starting to get worried."

"Well your baby decided it was a good time to make me sick." She informed him.

"It is the hormones that cause morning sickness." He replied indignantly.

"Still caused by the baby. So when are you going to tell me whether it is a boy or a girl?"

"You'll have to wait until the baby is born."

"You know don't you?" She accused him.

Sidestepping the question, he instead asked one of his own. "How's the Tardis coping?"

"That's not fair, we should both know the gender," Rose whined. "How do you even know, I am only about three months a long. An ultra sound couldn't tell until I was five months."

"Rose that was in the 21st century and technology has advanced to the point they can tell you sooner and I have the sonic." He explained patiently. "Now how is the Tardis?"

"See for yourself." She told him as she picked up the handset and held it out so he could listen to the Tardis engines.

"Ooo, nasty. She's locked in a materialization loop, trying to land again" He informed Rose, "But she can't and whatever's stopping her is upstairs in this flat."

"So, go upstairs and sort it." Rose said.

"I don't know what it is yet. Anything that can stop the Tardis from landing is big." He replied and then flopped on the bed and stared at the ceiling. "Scary big."

"Are you scared?" Rose asked.

"I can't go up there until I know what it is and how to deal with it And it is vital that this man upstairs doesn't realize who and what I am." He pulled out his sonic and looked at it longingly. "So no sonicking. No advanced technology."

"Now all you've got to do is pass as an ordinary human being." Rose snickered into the phone.

"Simple. What could possibly go wrong?" He wondered.

"Have you seen you?" Rose chuckled. "If you want to pass as an ordinary human, first you need to lose the bow tie."

"Bow ties are cool." He answered back and walked over to the mirror in the room and adjusted the bow tie. "Come on, Rose, I'm a normal bloke, with a child. Tell me what normal blokes do."

"They watch telly, they play football."

"I could do those things. I don't, but I could." He joked as a bang sounded upstairs.

"Daddy," Kiam called out.

"It's okay," He called back. "Rose?" He asked as he looked at the clock and the saw that the numbers were going up and down rapidly. Kiam came running into the room and quickly disappeared under the bed.

"Interesting. Localized time loop." He said as he watched.

"Ow. What's all that?" Rose asked as she was flung about in the Tardis.

"Time distortion. Whatever's happening upstairs is still affecting you."

"It's stopped. Ish." Rose informed him a few moments later. "How about your end?" She asked him concerned.

"My end's good." He said back as he dropped to his knees and lifted the blanket. "It's okay you can come out now."

Kiam shook his head. "I want mummy," he cried.

"Mummy will be back soon enough." He promised.

"Teddy?" Kiam asked.

"He is on the Tardis, but later we will go out and get you a teddy for here, okay?" Kiam just nodded at him as he dropped down the blanket.

"How is he?"

"He's scared and he misses you, but he will be all right." He responded.

"I miss him, give him a big kiss from me."

"I will. How is everything on that end?"

"Doesn't sound great, but nothing to worry about?" Rose replied.

"Just keep the zigzag plotter on full. That'll protect you. Now, I must not use the sonic and I've got work to do." He told Rose.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"And come on just a hint of what the baby might be?"

"Time Lord," He smirked as he hung up the phone and heard Rose swear on the other end.


	92. The Lodger Goes on

Stopping first at a little toy store, he bought Kiam a stuffed bear and put him in the back of a shopping trolley. Laughing the duo raced around the city gathering miscellaneous pieces.

"That one daddy," Kiam pointed at a bike wheel laying bent in the gutter.

"Perfect." He picked it up and added it to the growing mess. "That should just be about it for tonight. Time for you to get some sleep."

"Not tired." Kiam protested as he yawned.

"No, you never are," He chuckled and pushed the cart up to the flat. A cat yowled in protest at the noise and he scolded the cat. "Don't get comfortable."

Together they carried everything inside and laid it on the floor beside the bed. "Right sleep." He hit himself in the head with the screwdriver and then rubbed the spot he hit. Feeling his pockets he pulled out a toothbrush. "Go brush your teeth." Kiam disappeared out of the room. He came back a minute later and the Doctor examined his teeth before sending him out to brush them again. When he returned for the second time, Kiam climbed on the bed and laid down with the teddy bear in his arms. The Doctor tucked him in and then laid beside him humming an old Gallifreyan song. He continued humming long after Kiam was asleep and he had begun his work.

-DW-

The next morning he set Kiam up with breakfast in front of the telly before heading to take a shower. He was happily singing in the shower when there was a knock at the door.

"Doctor," Craig called through. "How long are you going to be in there?"

"Oh, sorry. I like a good soak." He called back, not really feeling sorry. He heard Craig mumble something "What did you say?"

Receiving no answer he tried again. "What did you say?" Quickly getting out of the shower he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist before grabbing the sonic out of the tooth brush holder on the sink.

"Stay here Kiam," He stated as he hurried out into the hall. Standing beside Craig, he hits the button on the sonic to realize that he has in fact grabbed an electric toothbrush.

"What happened, what's going on?" He asks Craig frantically.

"Is that my toothbrush?" Craig asks rather then answering his question.

"You spoke to the man upstairs?" He inquires.

"Yeah."

"What did he look like?" He heads towards the stairs.

"More normal than you do at the moment, mate. What are you doing?"

"I thought you might be in trouble." He answers indignantly.

"Thanks. Well, if I ever am, you can come and save me with my toothbrush." Craig chuckles and then heads back into the flat as the phone rings. He shakes his head at Craig as he starts to head up the stairs. He hears the door open behind him and turns around to see a young female entering.

"Hello." She says sounding confused.

"Hello. The Doctor." He responds, "You must be Sophie." He hurries past her and back into the flat. As he walked into the flat his phone rang as well.

"Hello Rose," He answered sounding concerned. "Is something wrong?"

"Besides I am stuck in the Tardis," Rose asked sarcastically.

"Yes, besides that."

"No, I called John and he is going to bring some clothes over for Kiam." Rose informed him.

"I can get him clothes." He replied.

"I know, but John is already on his way."

"Doctor, do you play football," Craig asked.

"Hang on, Rose," He turns to Craig. "Yes, blokes play football. I'm good at football, I think." He tells Craig.

"You've saved my life. The spare kit's just in the bottom drawer. " Craig smiles and turns away.

"Better get dressed." He says and heads into the room and shuts the door. "Rose you still there?"

"Nowhere else to go."

"So, I'm going out. If I hang about the house all the time, him upstairs might get suspicious and notice me."

"Football. Okay, well done. That is normal." She congratulates him.

"Yeah, football. All outdoorsy." He rolls his eyes.

-DW-

They head down to the park and he finds out much to his surprise he is actually good at football. John phones him during the match and a short time later appears at the park. He smiles at John who shakes his head and sits down next to Kiam. Winning the game for the team he is celebrating when one of the other players comes up to him.

"You are so on the team. Next week we've got the Crown and Anchor. We're going to annihilate them."

"Annihilate? No. No violence, do you understand me? Not while I'm around. Not today, not ever." He gets in the mans face. "I'm the Doctor, the Oncoming Storm," He hears John chuckling and looks at him before turning back to the player. "And you basically meant beat them in a football match, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"Lovely. What sort of time?" He asks. Craig opens a can of drink and gets sprayed with the foam. Then it repeats again and again. Only John, Kiam and himself are unaffected. He quickly calls Rose.

"Rose?"

"It's happening again. Worse." She says and yelps as she is tossed about.

"What does the scanner say?"

"A lot of nines." She responds and then screams and the line goes silent.

"Rose," He panics. "Are you there? Rose, answer me." He feels a comforting hand on squeeze his shoulder and is thankful John is there.

"I'm here." She finally responds. "I just got thrown down but I'm okay."

"And the baby."

"Fine, I landed on my knees."

"Oh, thank heavens. I thought for a moment the Tardis had been flung off into the vortex with you two inside it, lost forever." He said sadly.

"What, you mean that could actually happen?" Rose asked. "You have got to get me out of here."

"I will don't worry. John and I will stop at nothing to save you and our baby." He looked at John who had picked up Kiam, with his free arm and John nodded at him. "How are the numbers?"

"All fives."

"Fives? Even better. Still, it means the effect's almost unbelievably powerful and dangerous, but don't worry." He tells her. "Just hang on and keep you and our daughter safe."

"I'm having a girl?" Rose asked excitedly.

"Yes," He replied. "Be safe." He hung up and then turned to John. "We have work to do.

"Whose this?" Craig asked coming over with Sophie.

"Craig, my brother John. John my flatmate Craig." He introduced the two and watched as they shook hands.

"Is that how people greet each other these days?" He asked John and John sighed.

"You're hopeless sometimes." John told him. The group headed back to the flat where John, Kiam and him disappeared in to his room to start work on the scanner.

"This would be easier if we could use the sonic," John huffed.

"Yes, but not nearly as fun." He laughed.

"Did our IQ go down with this regeneration as well as our age?"

"Hey." He laughed as there was a knock at the door. He opened the door a crack and poked his head out. "Hello"

"Hey, man. Er, Sophie's coming round tonight and I was wondering if you could give us some space?" Craig asked hesitantly.

"Oh, don't mind us. You won't even know we're here." He responded as he hears a bang behind him and Kiam say oops. "That's the idea at least," He looks back to see a traffic cone on the floor along with the wheel he had just finished mounting. Shaking his head he closed the door. The night progressed and while John placed some finishing touches on the scanner, he crawled out to work on the wiring.

"I think that we should" Craig says as he pops up from behind the sofa.

"Hello." He says happily to the pair.

"What?" Craig asks him annoyed.

"Whoops. Sorry. Don't worry, I wasn't listening. In a world of my own down there." He lies.

"I thought you three were going out?"

"Just re-connecting all the electrics. It's a real mess." He holds up a couple of wires and a regular screwdriver.

"They really are just on their way out." Craig tells Sophie.

"No, I don't mind. I mean, if you don't mind." Sophie says.

"I don't mind." Craig replies missing the point. "Why would I mind?"

"Then stay. Have a drink with us." Sophie tells him.

"I'll get the others," He smiles and goes into his room, coming out a short time later with John and Kiam.

"Sorry, he misses the point sometimes." John explains. "I got that side from, I guess you could call her my mum." John picks up the wine bottle and pours two glasses before handing one to the Doctor and sitting down with the other. Kiam climbs up on his lap and he cuddles him as John continues to work on the wiring.

"Life can seem pointless, you know, Doctor. Work, weekend, work, weekend. And there's six billion people on the planet doing pretty much the same." Sophie says.

"Six billion people. Watching you two at work, I'm starting to wonder where they all come from." He jokes and Sophie looks at him confused.

"What do you mean by that?" She wonders.

"So then, the call center. That's no good, then." He says.

"Be nice," John warns and the asks Sophie. "What do you really want to do?"

"Don't laugh. I only ever told Craig about it. I want to work looking after animals. Maybe abroad? I saw this orangutan sanctuary on telly."

"What's stopping you?" He wonders.

"She can't. You need loads of qualifications." Craig says.

"Yeah. Plus it's scary. Everyone I know lives round here. Like, Craig got offered a job in London. He didn't take it."

"What's wrong with staying here? I can't see the point of London." Craig asks.

"Well, perhaps that's you, then. Perhaps you'll just have to stay here, secure and a little bit miserable, till the day you drop." John tells them.

"Better than trying and failing, eh?" He adds.

"You think I'd fail?"

"Everybody's got dreams, Sophie. Very few are going to achieve them, so why pretend?" He picks up and finishes off his third glass of wine before pouring himself a forth.

"You've had enough." John warns. "You know how you get when you drink to much."

"I'm fine." He tells John and then looks at Sophie again. "Perhaps, in the whole wide universe, a call center about is where you should be."

"Why are you saying that? That's horrible."

"Is it true?" John asks her.

"Of course it's not true. I'm not staying in a call center all my life. I can do anything I want." She states and the two of them smile at her. "Oh, yeah. Right. Oh, my God. Did you see what they just did?"

"Are you going to live with monkeys now?" Craig asks her.

"It's a big old world, Sophie. Work out what's really keeping you here, eh?" He tells her as he stands up with Kiam who has fallen asleep in his arms.

"I don't know." Sophie admits.


	93. Almost Home to Rose

After putting Kiam to bed, the Doctor returned to the living room. Laughing and joking with John, Craig and Sophie, he finished a bottle of wine off himself and was well into the second, before John hid it from him. Bidding everyone goodnight, John put the Doctor over his shoulder and carried him into his room.

"Why do I want to scale the coral, John," The Doctor slurred.

"Because you are drunk, now go to sleep." John replied helping him take off his jacket and get settled on the floor, as their contraption and Kiam was taking up the bed.

"I don't need to sleep. I have to much energy." To prove his point, he tried to jump up and instead tangled his legs in the blanket and slammed to the ground. "Ow," he whimpered. John laughed himself to tears as he helped the Time Lord untangle himself and lay down again.

"Going to sleep now."

"I miss Rose," he started to sob.

"I know," John sat down next to him and gently started to stroke his hair. "We will get her back, you just need to be patient a little bit longer okay?" The Doctor nodded. "Now, be quiet and get some sleep and we will see if the scanner works in the morning."

"Then we can get Rose back and I can climb the coral." He slurred happily as his eyes drifted closed. When he awoke only a few hours later, John was still awake adding finishing touches to the scanner. He looked over to see Kiam, on a pile of blankets, sleeping soundly next to him.

"You are annoying drunk. It's a wonder Rose ever agreed to sleep with you." John smiled and looked down at him. "How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts," he moaned.

"Not surprising, there's a glass of water behind you." John turned his attention back to his work. The Doctor stood slowly and took the glass of water. Sipping it slowly he turned to John.

"Is it ready?" He asked him and John nodded.

"Rose you there," He asked into his earpiece.

"No where else to go," she responded.

"Right. Shield's up. Let's scan." John said. John flicked a switch and the contraption began to spin.

"What are you getting?" Rose asked curiously.

Upstairs. No traces of high technology. Totally normal?" He said disappointed. "No, it can't be."

"It's too normal." John agreed.

"Only for you two could too normal be a problem." Rose huffed. "You said I could be lost forever. Just go upstairs."

"Without knowing and get myself killed? Then you really are lost. If I could just get a look in there. Hold on. Use the data bank. Get me the plans of this building. I want to know its history, the layout, everything. Meanwhile, I shall recruit a spy." He tells her.

-DW-

The next morning, he was up bright and early before anyone else. After showering he decided that it would be a good idea to make everyone breakfast.

Kiam and John sat at the table eating as he made up a tray for Craig.

"It is not normal to bring your flatmate breakfast in bed." John said helping himself to another slice of bacon.

"I want breakfast in bed," Kiam pouted.

"Another time." The Doctor said picking up the tray and carrying it towards Craig's room. "Craig? Craig? Breakfast." He said as he opened the door slowly. "It's normal."

"It's not," John snickered. The Doctor glared at him as he pushed the door open. Seeing Craig sweaty and not moving on the bed, he quickly set the tray down and rushed over to him. He grabbed his arm and turned it over to reveal black veins snaking up his arm.

"Craig. I told you not to touch it. Look, what's that?" He scolded Craig. "It's an unfamiliar and obviously poisonous substance. Oh, I know what'd be really clever, I'll stick my hand in it."

"John," He called out. "He touched the substance."

"I'm on it," John called back.

"Come on, Craig, breathe." He hits Craig squarely in the chest several times before Craig takes a gasping breath. John comes rushing into the room holding a teapot and hands it to the Doctor.

"Stay back Kiam," The Doctor warns as, Kiam pokes his head around John's legs. He takes the teapot and puts the tip at Craig's mouth pouring some directly in.

"I've got to go to work." Craig moans as he starts to wake up.

"On no account. You need rest." He tells Craig soothingly as he tips the teapot up again. "One more."

"It's the planning meeting. It's important."

"You're important. You're going to be fine, Craig." He says softly and covers Craig back up as he falls asleep. Leaving the room and closing the door behind him, he turns to John.

"Can you take Kiam for the day?" He asks.

"Not a problem, where are you going?"

"I'm going to work." He grinned happily.

He goes to work at the call center and finds the work quite enjoyable as he eats Jammy Dodgers and drinks tea as he speaks on the phone. Craig shows up at one point and he sends him back to bed as he continues to take care of his job. When they return home in the evening, he is happy to see a cat coming down the stairs.

"Have you been upstairs?" He asked the cat happily. "Yes!" He smiled brightly as he sat down next to the cat on the stairs.

"You can't talk to animals." John stated.

"Course I can, I can also talk to babies now," He told John.

"Why?"

"Why not?" He shrugged before turning his attention back to the cat and placing both of his hands on the cats head, stroking his fur. "You can do it. Show me what's up there? What's behind that door?"

"Come on Kiam, let's get you some supper." He said placing his hand on Kiam's back and gently leading him into the flat.

Ignoring them, he continued his conversation. "Try to show me. Oh, but that doesn't make sense. Ever see anyone go up there? Lots of people? Good, good. What kind of people?"

The cat meows at him. "People who never came back down. Oh, that's bad. That's very bad." He says scratching the cat's ears absentmindedly. The door to the flat opened again and he looked up to see Craig standing there. "Oh, hello."

"I can't take this any more. I want you to go." Craig stated firmly, holding the brown paper bag the Doctor arrived with. "You can have this back and all."

He opened the bag and looked inside to see the money he gave Craig. Dropping the bag on the ground he turned to him. "What have I done?" He asked.

"For a start, talking to a cat." Craig said.

"Lots of people talk to cats." He said casually following Craig back into the flat and turned his head to John, who was helping Kiam get his coat back on. Thank you, he mouthed as John took Kiam out front to play.

"And everybody loves you, and you're better at football than me, and my job, and now Sophie's all oh, monkeys, monkeys, and then there's that." John stormed to the Doctor's room and threw open the door.

"It's art. A statement on modern society," He remarked.

"The three of us, it's not going to work out. You've only been here three days. These have been the three weirdest days of my life." Craig stated shaking his head.

"Your days will get a lot weirder if I go." He crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame.

"It was good weirdness. It's not, it's bad weird. I can't do this any more."

"Craig, I can't leave this place. I'm like you, I can't see the point of anywhere else. I have to stay." He tries not to let the desperation he is feeling come out in his voice, but it is getting harder.

"No, you don't. You have to leave." Craig says firmly.

"I can't go." He says again.

"Just get out!" Craig points towards the door.

"Right. I'm going to show you something, but shush. Really, shush. Oh, I am going to regret this." He winces as he thinks of the quickest way to transfer information. "Okay, right. First, general background." He says as he grabs Craig's head and firmly headbutts it.

"OW," They both cry out as the information is transferred.

"You're both..."

"Yes." He agrees interrupting him.

"From..."

"Shush." He hisses. "Eleventh. Right. Okay, specific detail." He says as he headbutts Craig again.

"You saw my ad in the paper shop window." Craig says accusingly.

"Yes, with this right above it. Which is odd, because Rose hasn't written it yet." He tells Craig and holds up Rose's note. "Time travel. It can happen."


	94. Return to Rose

_Sorry for the slow updates. _

* * *

Craig was holding his head and the Doctor rubbed his forehead as he started to get a headache.

"I am never, never doing that ever, ever again." He stated as the Bluetooth beeped in his ear and he activated it.

"Rose?" He asked feeling concerned.

"That's your wife, Rose Tyler." Craig pointed at him accusingly.

He narrowed his eyes at Craig and then rolled them. "Of course, you can understand us now." He got a sarcastic tone. "Hurrah."

"Got those plans yet?" He asked Rose trying to sound pleasant again.

"Still searching for them." She replied.

"I've worked it out, with psychic help from a cat." He said proudly now.

"A cat?" Rose asked skeptically. "You've never been able to communicate with animals before."

"Have too."

"Okay, not in the time I've known you."

"Yes. I know." He responded. "He's got a time engine in the flat upstairs. He's using innocent people to try and launch it. Whenever he does, they get burnt up." He directed his next statement at Craig. "Hence the stain on your ceiling."

"From the ceiling." Craig muttered still trying to wrap his head around the new information.

"Well done, Craig." His sarcastic tone returned. Suddenly there is a loud crash from upstairs.

"People are dying up there?" Craig begins to repeat on a loop.

"Rose," The Doctor asks concerned as John rushes into the room with Kiam. Kiam immediately disappears under the bed again. John sighs as he pulls the teddy bear from where it was abandoned on the bed and hands it down. The Doctor smiles slightly as a little hand pokes out, and without looking grabs the bear and disappears back under the bed.

"They're being killed." John states as Craig continues the loop.

"Someone's up there." The Doctor responded to John.

"Doctor?" Rose asked.

"Hang on. John, come on. Someone's dying up there."

"Sophie." John stated. "She came in while Kiam and I were out front and she is not in the apartment.

"Doctor?" Rose tried again.

"Not now Rose." He grabbed Craig and shook him. "Come on Craig, Sophie needs you." He took one arm and John took the other and they started to drag Craig out of the apartment and up the stairs.

"Where's Sophie?" Craig suddenly asked.

"Doctor?" Rose sounded angry this time.

"Rose?"

"Are you upstairs?" She asked him, sounding relieved.

"Just going in."

"But you can't be upstairs." Her voice shook. "It's a one-storey building. There is no upstairs."

"Oh. Oh, of course. The time engine isn't in the flat, the time engine is the flat. Someone's attempt to build a TARDIS." He looked at John. John raised his eyebrows back.

"No, there's always been an upstairs." Craig laughed. The lights from the door in front of them started to flicker.

"Has there? Think about it." John said to him seriously.

"Yes." Craig replied before changing his mind. "No. I don't."

"Perception filter." John told him turning back to the door.

"It's more than a disguise." The Doctor explained. "It tricks your memory."

Sophie screams from behind. With that John grabs the Doctor's sonic out of his pocket and quickly unlocks the door and runs in.

"Sophie! Sophie! Oh, my God, Sophie!" Craig calls out as they rush in. Sophie is standing near a center console that looks similar to the TARDIS. Her hand is extended and she is seems to being pulled towards the console by electricity. The Doctor stops dead in his tracks as John and Craig rush over to help Sophie. The inside of the room is an exact duplicate of the one the silence had when he had to rescue Rose. Slowly he looks around and is somewhat relieved not to see any.

"Doctor." John's voice snaps him back to the situation at hand. "It's controlling her. It's willing her to touch the activator."

"That's not going to have her." Craig says firmly trying to pull her back. Instinctively he reaches to his pocket for his sonic and finding it gone remembers John took it.

"John, my sonic." He calls out.

"It's deadlocked." John replies as he throws it and the Doctor catches his sonic.

"You've got to do something." Craig says desperately. Craig pulls Sophie again and she falls back against him.

"What?" John asks.

"Why's it let her go?" The Doctor turns as a man suddenly appears beside him.

"You will help me." The hologram says.

"Right. Stop. Crashed ship, let's see." He thinks for a moment. "Hello, I'm Captain Jack Harkness of International Rescue. Please state the nature of your emergency."

"The ship has crashed. The crew are dead. A pilot is required." The hologram says sadly.

"You're the emergency crash program. A hologram. What, you've been luring people up here so you can try them out?" He asks and points his sonic at the hologram. He quickly changes the settings and then sonics it. The hologram flickers between several forms.

"You will help me."

"Craig, what is this? Where am I?" Sophie starts to freak out.

"Hush." The Doctor says coldly. John shakes his head and goes over to Sophie and Craig. He starts talking quickly and in a low voice. The Doctor ignores them and turns back to the hologram. "Human brains aren't strong enough, they just burn. But you're stupid, though. You just keep trying."

"Seventeen people have been tried. Six billion four hundred thousand and twenty six remain." The hologram responds.

"I don't understand." Sophie says loudly.

"Oh, for goodness sake. The top floor of Craig's building is in reality an alien space ship intent on slaughtering the population of this planet. Any questions?" He asked not waiting for an answer he continued. "No, good."

"Yes, I have questions." Sophie whined.

"The correct pilot has now been found." The Hologram continued to look at the Doctor.

"Yes, I was a bit worried that you were going to say that." He adjusted his bow tie.

"He means you, Doctor, doesn't he?" Rose asked panicking and making him realize he never turned the phone off.

"The correct pilot has been found." The hologram repeated as the electricity leaped up and wrapped around his hand.

"What's happening?" Rose sounded close to tears.

"It's pulling me in. I'm the new pilot." He told her deciding not to lie to her.

"Could you do it?" She sounded a little relieved. "Could you fly the ship safely?"

"No, I'm way too much for this ship. My hand touches that panel, the planet doesn't blow up, the whole solar system does."

"Get out of there."

"I'm trying."

"The correct pilot has been found." The hologram interjected.

"No. Worst choice ever, I promise you. Stop this." He scolded the hologram.

"Doctor?" Rose sniffled. "It's getting worse."

"It doesn't want everyone. Craig, it didn't want you or for some reason it doesn't want you John."

"I spoke to him and he said I couldn't help him." Craig answered as John looked guilty.

"It didn't want Sophie before but now it does. What's changed?" He asked.

"We gave her the idea of leaving." John answered. "It's a machine that needs to leave. It wants people who want to escape. And you don't want to leave, Craig."

"You're Mister Sofa Man." The Doctor smiled. "Craig, you can shut down the engine. Put your hand on the panel and concentrate on why you want to stay."

"Craig, no." Sophie exclaimed.

"Will it work?" Craig asked hesitantly.

"Yes." John replied.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." The Doctor answered this time.

"Is that a lie?" Craig looked at the two of them.

"Of course it's a lie." He said, breaking first.

"It's good enough for me." Craig responded as he put his hand on the nearest control panel. The Doctor is immediately released.

"Craig!" Sophie cries out in concern.

"Craig, what's keeping you here?" John asks him. "Think about everything that makes you want to stay here. Why don't you want to leave?"

"Sophie. I don't want to leave Sophie. I can't leave Sophie. I love Sophie." Craig replies his teeth gritted with pain.

"I love you, too, Craig, you idiot." Sophie says softly as she places her hand on his.

"Doctor!

"What about the monkeys?" Craig wonders aloud.

"Oh, not now, not again. Craig, the planet's about to burn." The Doctor mumbles.

"For God's sake, kiss the girl." John pleads. As Craig and Sophie kiss, his hand is released from the panel. The room stops shaking.

"You've done it." Rose exclaims happily. "Now it's minus ones, minus twos, minus threes."

"Help me." The Autopilot starts looping as the systems begin to smoke.

"Get Kiam," The Doctor says and John rushing by him and out the door, heading quickly down the stairs.

"Did we switch it off?" Craig asks still holding Sophie.

"Emergency shutdown." He explains as he sonics it and then looks at the readings. "It's imploding. Everybody out."

The run down the stairs and out the door. John is on the sidewalk holding Kiam. Kiam starts screaming and reaching for the Doctor as he gets near. Without hesitation he takes his son and holds the sobbing child close. They watch as the top floor and roof turn into the Ship which then flies away, leaving a one story building.

"Look at them. Didn't they see that? The whole top floor just vanished." Craig asks as a man and his child walk by.

"Perception filter. There never was a top floor." The Doctor hears John answer as he takes off down the street and to the park. He rushes into the TARDIS and straight into Rose's arms. Holding her tightly and kissing her on the head.

"Mummy," Kiam cries out and grabs onto Rose. Rose takes him and holds him tightly against her.

"I'll be right back," he promised Rose as he hurried back to the house. Entering he found John had packing up the room.

"You coming with us?"

John shook his head. "Not this time. I have Amy and Rory to look after." He closed the suitcase and locked it before turning and wrapping the Doctor in an embrace. "Stay in touch. I want to know what is going on. Oh, and contact Donna, she misses you."

"I will." He sighed as they exited the room and he drops the keys on the sideboard.

"Oi." Craig turns to look at him from the sofa.

"What, you're trying to sneak off?" Sophie asks indignantly.

"Yes, well, you were sort of busy." He straightens his bow tie and then glares as John slaps his hand away from it.

"I want you to keep these." Craig comes over and picks up the keys. Before he hands the key back to him.

"Thank you. Because I might pop back soon, have another little stay." He lies.

"No, you won't." Craig laughs. "I've been in your head, remember. I still want you to keep them."

"I'll come visit." John smiles at him.

"You better." Craig says with a smile.

"Thank you, Craig." The Doctor shakes his hand.

"Thank you, Doctor." Craig pulls him into a one arm embrace.

"Sophie" The Doctor nods to her. "Now then. Six billion four hundred thousand and twenty six people in the world. That's the number to beat."

Saying goodbye to John he returns to the TARDIS and sets the suitcase right inside the door before sending the them into the vortex. He lands again a few days prior for Rose to go and drop off the note. But as he enters their room he sees Rose laying on the bed.

"Kiam's asleep." She says softly.

Deciding the note can wait, he goes to her.


	95. Ultra sounds and Pears

Rose was craving pears. Out of all the foods in the universe, she wanted a pear. He couldn't decide if she truly craved them or she just wanted to see the look on his face when she announced she wanted one. To make matters worse the TARDIS was on her side. He spent a lot of time throwing pears out of his TARDIS, only to wake up the next morning to find that the fruit bowl on the counter had a pear in it, or to find Rose happily munching on one.

He even took extreme measures and took the TARDIS to a point in the future where pears had no longer existed. For thousands of years, people had forgotten what a pear looked or tasted like. He liked to think that he had something to do with them being wiped out and couldn't wait to find out how he had done it. But that wasn't the point the point was, she still found a pear.

"Are you sure the baby is mine?" he asked her at the breakfast table one morning, as him and Kiam ate bananas in oatmeal and she munched on a pear.

"No, it's Jacks," She teased and he narrowed his eyes at her. "Going to go all oncoming storm on me." she asked raising her eyebrows at him.

He sighed. "No," he mumbled, taking another bite of oatmeal.

"Good because I was joking," she told him.

He nodded absently and watched as Kiam tried to shove a particularly large bite into his mouth. Half of it fell off the spoon and on to his pajamas. He grinned at his dad as he tried to chew.

"Smaller bites, or you'll choke." Rose scolded.

"Wot choe," Kiam responded.

"And don't talk with your mouth full, that's rude," she added. "I swear three days alone with your dad and John and you forget all your manners."

"Hey." He cried out indignantly.

"It's true," she grumbled.

Even though he believed her, when she said the baby wasn't Jack's, he still sent Kiam to play in his room, while he took Rose down to the medibay.

"What's this all about suddenly?" she asked him suspiciously.

"Just want to check to make sure our daughter is healthy." He told her as he bounced around grabbing things.

"And that she has two hearts?"

He blushed. "No, because even then she might be a Time Lord. River doesn't have two hearts."

"Might?"

"You know what I mean. Now up on the bed and lift your shirt." He pointed at the nearest bed. She climbed up on it and rolled her shirt up before laying back against the pillows. He took a hand held scanner and held it above her stomach in one hand. His other hand was quickly tapping the screen and typing. She heard an audible sigh of relief.

"She has two hearts." Rose guessed.

"Yes and she is developing normal. Just like Kiam, she is developing at the rate of a human, rather then a Time Lord though."

"Am I going to have her early too?"

He lowered the scanner. "We will be more careful this time. But I will be honest with you. You might go into labor early but we will do everything possible to prevent it. Okay." Rose nodded. He took her hand and kissed it.

"You want to see her?" he asked and then turned the scanner so Rose could look at the ultra sound of their daughter. The twin heartbeats showing on the scanner were impossibly fast but since the Doctor didn't seemed worried, she guessed it was normal.

"I want to do weekly checkups, until she is born."

"Is something wrong with her?" Rose asked fearfully as she glanced back to the extremely fast hearts.

"No, but I want to make sure nothing goes wrong this time. A Time Lord/human birth can get complicated. That is part of the reason Kiam was premature. The stress was a small factor, but he still may have been born early regardless. It is something I want to prevent this time around."

"Okay."

"And just to be safe, no more pears in the mean time." He took the scanner from her and printed off a picture for Rose to have.

"But what if pears keep her healthy. I didn't have pears the last time." She pouted.

"I offer to give you all of space and time, and you want a pear." he threw his hands up in the air, as he walked out of the medical bay. "The things I do for you Rose Tyler."


	96. Apalapucia

_-I am sorry-_

* * *

He decided to finally give into Rose. She was upset with him and the fact that she hadn't got to see John. He tried to explain to her that John was busy and he knew John had tried to explain the same. But with her hormones raging due to the pregnancy she was having none of it. He apologized when he called John and invited him to go on one trip with them. John had taken with humor though and agreed to one trip as long as he was back later the same day. He had all ready made plans with Amy to go and see Donna.

"You should come to?" John had said over the phone.

"Maybe," he replied.

"Say yes or I won't come with you."

He had huffed at John. "Fine," he mumbled as Rose's eyes filled with tears again. She smiled brightly and hurried off to get dressed leaving him alone in the console room with Kiam.

"Come here, Kiam. You can see over the controls now, right?" He asked Kiam came and stood close to him. He could see above the control panel and if he stood on tiptoe he could even reach the middle buttons. The Doctor laughed. "Maybe another year and then you can start learning how to drive her. She will be yours one day."

"She will?" Kiam asked curiously.

"Not for a very long time mind you." he clarified as he scooped his son up and kissed him on the head. "Let's go pick up your Uncle John.

As soon as the TARDIS had materialized the doors were flung open and Kiam was running off.

"Uncle John," The Doctor heard him yelling as he watched him on screen. Kiam ran across the plaza into the waiting arms of John.

"Come on Rose," he called out. "John is waiting."

"Maybe I could go faster if your daughter was sitting on my bladder." She complained coming out of the corridors.

"Rosie," John exclaimed, coming into the doors with Kiam in his arms.

"John," She hurried over to John and wrapped her arms around him.

John turned to look at him. "So where are we going?" he asked curiously.

"Apalapucia," The Doctor announced happily.

"Apalapucia. What a beautiful word." Rose repeated it back to him and he smiled at her.

"Beautiful word, beautiful world." He agreed as he set the TARDIS on her way to the planet. "Apalapucia, voted number two planet in the top ten greatest destinations for the discerning intergalactic traveler."

"Why couldn't we go to number one?" JOhn wondered as he came over, and started to help out with the driving of the TARDIS. "I mean the Planet of the Coffee Shops, what's not to love. I plan on taking Donna there once my TARDIS is grown."

"Because it's hideous." He responded. "Apalapucia! I give you sunsets, spires, soaring silver colonnades!" Together they land the TARDIS and he rushes to the doors and throws them open. "I give you..." He trailed off.

Opening the doors had revealed an empty white room with a set of double grey doors. He turned in a circle to reveal that the room was the side of a broom closet. John stepped out laughing.

"Doors." John chuckled. "But I do like the color of grey they chose, it really stands out from the white walls."

"Yes. I give you doors." The Doctor responded with a frown, He took Kiam's hand as he stepped towards the doors. "But on the other side of those doors, I give you sunsets, spires, soaring silver colonnades."

"Have you seen my phone?" Rose called from still inside of the TARDIS.

"Your phone?" He asked surprised. "I bring you to a paradise planet, two billion light years away, and you want your phone?"

"Sunsets. Spires. Soaring silver colonnades." She shrugged. "It's a camera phone and I want pictures."

"On the counter, by the DVDs." He told her and watched her disappear into the corridors. He looks at the doors. To the left side there is a panel with two buttons. One is a green anchor and a red waterfall is on the bottom button. John presses the green anchor and the doors slide open to reveal a plain white room with a pair of white chairs. On top of the table a large magnifying glass sits in the middle.

"OK, so, rain check on the soaring silver colonnades." He says and John raises his eyebrow at him.

"Something's not right," John says.

"I agree." The Doctor replies as the three of them enter the room. The door slides shut behind them. He is examining the glass when he hears Rose on the other side of the door.

"Hey? Hey, it's locked." She calls out.

"Yeah, push the button." John replies. John waits for a moment but grows confused when the door doesn't open. He walks over to the door and presses the button on the panel. The door slides open revealing the small room with the TARDIS.

"Doctor," John says. "Where's Rose?"


	97. Chen7

_Did I mention I am so so sorry._

* * *

"What do you mean?" He rushed over to the door and looked out.

"Rose," he called out. "This isn't funny." He circles the TARDIS. "Rose, stop playing games."

"Doctor, I think I found her." John calls out. He rushes back into the room to see in the glass a picture of Rose appear. Behind her on the wall is a red waterfall.

"Where am I?" Rose asks. "In fact, where are you?"

The door to the room slides open and there is a white robot is standing there. It has a blank head and real hands. The Doctor looks at it both concerned and happy.

"Welcome to the Twostreams Facility. Will you be visiting long?" The robot asks them.

"Doctor. Something's happening," Rose says panicking. He looks at the picture to see that screen fading out.

"Rose," he cries out pulling out the sonic. He desperately tries to get the picture back. "Stay calm! Stay still! Ah, time's gone wobbly." He cries out.

"Will you be visiting long?" The robot asks.

"Good question, bit sinister." John states backing away and taking Kiam with him. "What's the answer to not get us killed?" He inquires of the robot as the Doctor gets Rose back up on the screen. She is sitting curled in the corner crying.

"It's OK, I've got you, you're fine." He tells Rose, wishing that he could hold her.

"And where have you been?" She asks him angrily, wiping away the tears. "I've been here a week!"

"A week?! A week?! I'm so sorry! Aha! Same room, different times. Two timestreams running parallel but at different speeds. Rose, you're in a faster timestream." He straightens his bow tie. "This isn't good."

"Doctor, it's going again!" Rose calls out.

"Doctor!" John says trying to get his attention as the robot is getting closer.

"Rose," He calls out as the picture fades again. "No, no, no. Rose. Come on." He sonics the glass trying to keep her picture. "Gotcha! There. Stabilised, settled."

"Why has this got hands?" John asks. He tosses the sonic over to John who scans it. "Organic skin. Grown and grafted not born."

He walks over intrigued for a moment. "So it sees with it's fingers, by scanning the room. Interesting but why not just give it eyes?"

"Will you be visiting long?" The robot asks.

"As long as it takes." He replies heading back to the glass. "Rose what exactly did you do?"

"I just, I came in, and I pressed the door button."

"Which one?" John asks leaning over.

"I pushed the red waterfall." She replies and then glares as the Doctor and John sigh in unison. John runs his hand along the back of his neck, while the Doctor fixes his bow tie.

"We can't follow her directly. You know, it's never simple" He says.

"Hear that, Handbot? She just pressed the wrong button. We're aliens, we didn't know." John yells at it.

"Statement... rejected." A bright red light appears on it chest. "Apalapucia is under planet-wide quarantine. This is a kindness facility for those infected with Chen7."

He grabs Kiam and wraps Kiam's head in his jacket as he quickly covers his own mouth and nose. John pulls his t-shirt up to cover his own face.

"What's Chen7?" Rose asks through the screen.

"The one day plague." He mumbles.

"What, you get it for a day?" She asks.

He ignores her and turns to the robot who is speaking again. "There are 40,000 residents in the Twostreams Facility. Please remain in the sterile areas. Visiting hours are now."

"Sterile area, we're safe." He lets go of Kiam but the fear remains in his eyes as the robot transports away.

"What about me?" Rose asks still concerned.

"Chen7 only affects two hearted races." He admits"

"Like Time Lords," she turns pale. "What happens after the day?

"It doesn't matter because we are going to get you out."

"What is going to happen?" Rose asked again, her voice beginning to shake. "You die in a day don't you?"

"Yes," he admits. "In that facility, I'm dead in a day. Time moves faster on your side of the glass. Rose, you said you'd been here a week. What did you eat?"

"Nothing. I wasn't hungry." She admits.

"No, because Red Waterfall time is compressed. That's the point. The Time Glass syncs up the timestreams for visits. You could be here for a day, watch them live out their entire lives." He explains to her.

"So I could give birth and you could watch the both of us grow old in front of your eyes. That's horrible."

"No, Rose, it's kind." He tells her.

"You've got a choice. Sit by their bedside for 24 hours and watch them die, or sit in here for 24 hours and watch them live." John adds on and leans into the glass. "Which would you choose?"

"John come with me a second, Rose don't move." He moves off to the side with him. "I want you to take Kiam to Ianto and bring Jack back here. We have to get Rose out now."

"I could go in." John offers.

"No, we can't risk it. What if you're too Time Lord and become infected. Now go get Jack." he says and John grabs Kiam and rushes out of the the room.

He heads back over to the table to see the glass has gone out again. He panics as he sonics it and is relieved when Rose reappears. The relief disappears again though as she is holding her stomach crying.

"Rose?" he says softly.

"Doctor," she cries. "It hurts."

"Rose you have to hold on Jack and John are coming to get you. How long has it been."

"It don't know, but she is coming." Rose cries again.

"No, listen to me Rose," His voice is rising in panic as he desperately tries to stay calm. "You cannot give birth there you hear me."

"What if I can't help it?" She asks.

"You have to. If you give birth now, we will be able to save you, but our daughter will never be able to leave. Please Rose you have to hang on, we are coming for you."

He looks at his watch. Every second that John has been gone feels like an eternity and he is terrified the glass is going to go out again. He sonics the glass again making sure it is stable before picking it up.

"Doctor," Rose cries out. "Doctor, please don't leave me."

"I am right here Rose." He says softly. "I have the glass locked onto you and as soon as John returns with Jack we will be coming to get you. You just have to hang on."

"Sing to me," she whimpers.

"What do you want me to sing?" he asks.

"Anything, please just sing to me." He thinks for a moment and then starts singing an old Gallifreyian song of mourning. Tears stream down his face as he watches Rose. He looks at his watch again as the seconds tick by.


	98. Safe and Sound

He stopped singing and just stared at the glass as Rose lay quietly down on the ground. She was still curled on her side holding her stomach tightly, but she seemed more relaxed.

"That sounded sad," she commented.

"It was." He admitted as he sat down on the ground so he was near her head.

"I don't know how much longer I can wait." she cried out.

"You have to hold on Jack will be here any moment."

"If I can't, I'm not leaving her here alone."

"I know." He hung his head. "But that isn't going to happen. I am not going to let it. I have saved you before Rose Tyler and I will do it again."

She smiled and closed her eyes. "I wish you could hold me."

"I will be able to soon." He whispered. "Just hold on."

Time ticked away slowly as he watched Rose cry out in pain and writhe on the ground. He sung softly to her, forcing himself to remember the songs that he had sung to his children on Gallifrey and then to Kiam all those long nights in the TARDIS. His voice was starting to crack from worry when finally he heard the sound of the TARDIS engines returning.

"Rose, they're here. I have to leave you for just a moment, but Jack will be right there for you. Just hang on."

"I love you." she whimpered.

"I love you too." He picked up the mirror and rushed out the door, slamming into John on the way. "Change of plan, we have to get Rose and we have to get her out now." He handed John the mirror as he rushed to the TARDIS controls and started hitting buttons and throwing levers as John hooked the mirror up to the console.

"No hello?" Jack pouted.

"Rose is in labor and while I am happy to see Martha, why is Kiam still here. You were suppose to leave him with Ianto."

Martha spoke up from the pilot chair where she was sitting with Kiam on her lap. "We we're at the hub and did you say Rose is in labor."

"Yes, that's why we have to hurry."

"I will go get the medi-bay ready," Martha said, as she hurried off.

"You need to treat it as a sterile environment, and put the baby in an incubator regardless of whether or not she needs it." he called after her.

"What happened?" John asked. "How is she in labor?"

"I lost the feed. When it came back, she was in labor." He threw the lever. "Kiam go to your room." He said more sternly then he meant to and Kiam's eyes went wide as he ran out of the console room.

"She doesn't know how long it has been. What if it's too early?" He voiced his fears to John. "What if she can't survive or what if we are too late."

Jack came over and gave him a hug as John took over the controls. "Everything will work out Doc." He said comfortingly. The TARDIS landed. He looked at the monitor and couldn't see Rose. Fear went through him.

"Jack get her and take her straight through to Martha." He exclaimed as John and him moved to the other side. "Then make sure you all clean up before, otherwise you still risk spreading the disease."

Jack opened the TARDIS doors and headed out to Rose. Both him and John waited impatiently for them to return. Neither said a word as the Doctor came to realize he hated doing this in the right order and having to wait for things to happen. He wanted to run out of the TARDIS and get Rose himself but he waited. Finally Jack came on carrying Rose in his arms.

"Doctor," she called out as Jack passed through the console room with out stopping and straight into the medi-bay. The door closed tightly behind him and the waiting began again. The TARDIS let him know the console room was safe and he began to pace.

"This is familiar." John stated as he sat down on the pilot seat to watch.

"Shut up." He snipped as he continued to pace. He paused as he heard crying coming from the next room. He listened to her unhappiness as she was put in the incubator. The door opened and Jack came out.

"How are they?" He asked hurriedly.

"Fine, both are fine." Jack assured him. "Martha says you can come in, in a moment. She is just finishing cleaning them up. The TARDIS is running checks on her now."

"Daddy," Kiam tugged on his pants leg.

"I didn't hear you come in." He admitted as he leaned down. "Daddy needs to go see mommy and your new sister. You stay here with John for a while long and then you can come into okay." He asked and Kiam nodded. He wrapped Kiam in his arms and held the little boy tightly for a moment before releasing him. He watched Kiam go to John before following Jack into the Medi-bay. Rose was laying on the bed and he walked over to her and kissed her on the head.

"I missed you." he whispered softly as he stroked her hair back behind her ear.

"I missed you." Rose kissed on him lips. "Where is she?"

"You know we have to come up with a name." He laughed. "We can't keep calling her, she or the baby."

"We will." Rose said as Martha wheeled the incubator over. He looked in and saw the little girl wrapped in a white blanket with pink flowers, that Rose had picked out. Little tufts of brown hair covered her head and she wailing pitifully.

"How is she?" he asked Martha hopefully.

"TARDIS has confirmed she is clean." Martha replied. "Would you like to hold her?"

He nodded as he opened the incubator and then carefully lifted his daughter out. He handed her immediately over to Rose.

"She's beautiful." Rose sighed kissing the baby on the head as tears rolled down her cheeks. He heard John clear his throat and he waived Kiam over. Kiam climbed up on his lap.

"Meet your sister." Rose smiled. He heard Jack and Martha leave the room followed soon by John. Time was passing slowly again as he sat with his family but this time everything seemed right.

* * *

_I admit I am completely stuck on what to name the new baby. Any suggestions?_


	99. Endings

A baby was crying. That was impossible though. Rose wasn't due for another couple of months. He turned his head over and felt a twinge in his back from where he was sitting, leaning over with his head rested on a bed. The crying continued. As his sleeping mind caught up he realized that the baby was awake again. He sat up and rubbed his eyes to see Rose sitting up humming softly.

"She doesn't like that," he commented with a smirk.

Rose raised an eyebrow. "You promised you wouldn't use understanding her to your advantage unless it was an emergency." Carefully she handed the newborn over to him and he gently rocked her.

"I was thinking the name Cordelia." Rose said. "Cordelia Ann."

He giggled. "Cat? Really Rose?"

"I like it." she pouted.

"She likes it too. But she wonders what a cat is."

"I mean it, stop it." Rose laughed.

-DW-

The years flew by quickly. Too quickly for his liking. He had never liked goodbyes or endings but thanks to Rose he found himself saying them. He stood as a best man at Martha and Mickey's wedding. Danced with Martha at the after party. He became god parent to her two sons and they stopped at least once every couple of months for Sunday dinners, much to his dismay. He held Martha as she cried after Mickey was unexpectedly killed in the line of duty for Torchwood. Martha though grew old and lived to see her grandkids and then great-grandchildren before passing away peacefully in her sleep. He didn't want to attend the funeral and say goodbye, but Rose had insisted.

Donna never married. Which disappointed him. He thought she deserved more. Yet when ever he talked to River, he was informed that Donna was happy and traveling the world. She never settled down until her dying day. They buried her in the family plot, but he always felt she would have liked to be cremated and among the stars.

John traveled in his TARDIS until he became ill. Then he passed the TARDIS onto Kiam. He settled down to a quiet life, living in Cardiff. He continued to degenerate. Amy and Rory took care of him until his last days. The Doctor and Rose stayed with him in his last few weeks and helped to make it easier. John never blamed him that he couldn't regenerate and in the end managed to find peace. The Doctor followed the old traditions and burned John's body. Even though John didn't blame him, he blamed himself and apologized profusely.

Kiam took off in his TARDIS soon afterwards and as the years flew by he became more and more distant. Rose was agitated but the Doctor understood the call of the stars and as long as he knew his son was out there and alive, he was happy to let him go. Cordelia took the more sensible route and headed off to college. She settled down and married, giving him grandchild again.

Jenny stayed with Vastra before she took to the stars again. She traveled to the 42nd century and purchased a space ship. There she made a living traveling around saving civilizations and doing good. She made him proud whenever he heard of a village that was saved because Jenny had been there. He also laughed at the amount of running she had to do, she was his daughter after all.

Then there was his Rose, his beautiful Rose. She aged slower then she should have, and he never quite figured out how or why. He just held onto the years that he had her and showed her all the wonders of the universe. He never slowed down, even as she did. It seemed as though no time at all had passed before he was holding her in their bed. Her hair was gray and her skin wrinkled. Every breath was ragged. Tears slid down his face. He held her through out the night as her heart finally beat it's last. He lost track of time as he laid there listening to the silence that filled the room.

He had made a promise to Jackie, long ago, that he would return Rose to London and that was a promise he intended to keep. He buried her underneath a small tree, facing to the east so that she could watch the sunrise each morning. She had outlived everyone else that they had come to known and love while she was young, except for Jack. Jack stood by his side and helped him to bury his beautiful wife. Neither of them said anything as they stood there long into the night before together they walked back to the TARDIS.

Jack had traveled with him before, it seemed like another lifetime now. Jack had lost Ianto years ago to old age and River more recently to the library. Jack had at least taken comfort in the fact that the Doctor was there at River's end. Both had expected to hear from the Master at the loss of his daughter, but whether or not the Master was alive still he didn't know. He wondered if the Master, like him, was tired of all the running and just wanted to be left to live out his life.

He turned to Jack, his eyes still red, but the tears long gone.

"All of time and space. So where do you want to start?"

* * *

_After almost 100 chapters, 106 followers over 114 reviews and 69 favorites, I have decided that it is as good of time as any to end the story for good. I tried to close the story lines but if I left any open just know that they lived happily and they never stopped running. _


End file.
